the sons of the owner, one was a graduate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and prior to taking up work in the factory had worked for the North American Space Agency in the field of electronics. The other son was a qualified architect and one could appreciate the application of these two highly attuned minds to the production problems in this knitwear factory.
As we have said, the factory was light and airy and the working conditions exceptionally good and the whole atmosphere permeated prosperity.
The company had recently installed 12 power flat machines but they were not yet in full production and it was anticipated that one knitter would work six machines. In addition to this the company had also ordered a number of circular machines to increase the range and production in the factory. This factory had installed a maintenance scheme for all the machines and there appeared to be a reasonable ratio of mechanics for the machinery in the com- pany.
During our visit to Hong Kong we were able to hold a discussion with the officers of the Hong Kong and Kowloon Trades Council. It was unfortunate that none of the local officials were concerned with Hosiery or Clothing but two of the officers who were present were Textile Union officials. In addition to the local Trade Union officials we were pleased that Mr. Leon Fook Kee, the international representative in Hong Kong, was able to be present during our discussion. None of the officials we met from the Trades Council were full time officers. In respect of the Secretary of the local Trades Council, about 60% of his time is concerned with work on behalf of the Council. We had a feeling during our discussion with our Hong Kong colleagues that there is very little acceptance by them that there was any understanding whatsoever in the colonial administration regarding their problems nor did they receive any help or assistance to improve the working conditions in the colony. The main complaint they have in respect of the textile industry is the lack of the individual operative being able to have their complaint attended to with reasonable speed and that any increase in wages was usually accompanied by an inverse proportional increase in work load. They complained bitterly of the hardships experienced by the workpeople in the factories and the fact that the workpeople asked to work hours in excess of those set down by the legal legislation. It is quite common to have men working permanent night shifts and another complaint was that no operative appeared to have the right to be able to dispute his wages since there was no apparent necessity for the company to publish the rates of pay or piece rates for individual operations in this factory. We were told that if the worker disputed his wage packet, in order to gain redress he had to write a formal note of dis-satisfaction and have the matter taken up in this manner. All the Trade Union colleagues who were present emphasised to us that they did not feel that any complaints they raised with the Labour Advisory Board were adequately covered nor was there sufficient or reasonable consultation with them by the Advisory Board when the Government were contemplating a change in the legislation affecting the industrial workers.
Productivity Centre
On the last morning in Hong Kong we discussed with Mr. W. H. Newton, the Executive Director at the Productivity Centre, and his colleagues, the problems facing Hong Kong industry and their quest for a greater individual
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