W(B)L 51-7433
NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
Registry No.
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
Top Secret.
Secret:
Confidential.
Restricted.
Unclassified:---
PRIVACY MARKING
In Confidence
DRAFT Saving Despatch
To:-
Coverras
Type 1 +
From
Telephone No. & Ext.
Department
(1)
THA 2015.
I am addressing you with reference to
your Saving Despatch No.CR29/3231/49 of 28th
November, 1968, on the subject of the proposed
amendments to the Illegal Strikes and Lock-outs
Ordinance (Chapter 61). I welcome the decision
of your Government to seek to bring up to date
and improve the effectiveness of your
legislation to protect the public interest
from strikes and lock-outs in essential
şervices; but I have serious) doubts about the
manner in which it is proposed that this should
be done.
2.
It will be recalled that as far back as
October 1960 (your Savingram No.2081) my
predecessor was advised that you intended to
review the Hong Kong essential services
legislation in the light of the Model Ordinance
commended to all Colonial Governments at that
time. The principal features of this Model
Ordinance were:-
(a) that the right of workers to strike
in essential services would be
delayed but not prohibited;
(b)
the penal provisions would apply to all
breaches of contract in defined
circumstances; and
(c)
steps would be taken to ensure that
workers in essential services would
/be made