CONFIDENTI AL
''I THOUGHT THIS ENLARGEMENT NECESSARY TO EASE THE BURDEN ON MEMBERS IN DISCHARGING THEIR STEADILY INCREASING RESPONSIBILITIES AND I HOPE THAT HAVING AN EXPENSE ALLOWANCE AVAILABLE, AND THE SERVICES OF AN EXPANDED U MELCO SECRETARIAT WILL AL SO ASSIST THEM IN THEIR DUTIES. THE OPPORTUNITY OFFERED BY EXPANSION HAS BEEN TAKEN TO ACHIEVE A MEMBERSHIP REFLECTING A WIDER DIRECT ASSOCIATION WITH ALL SECTIONS OF OUR SOCIETY AS THE SENIOR MEMBER SUGGESTED TWO YEARS AGO.''
8. YOUR TELEGRAM NO 805. I HAVE THREE MAJOR PROBLEMS:-
(A) THE SHEER BULK OF THIS YEAR'S LABOUR LEGISLATION. IT IS
GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT TO GET IT ALL THROUGH ANYWAY, AND FAILURE TO DO SO WILL BE INFINITELY MORE DAMAGING IN THE U K THAN ANY OF THE COMPARATIVELY MINOR AND EPHEMERAL PRESENTATIONAL POINTS YOU SUGGEST. MY MAIN CONCERN IS THERE- FORE TO GET THE PROGRAMME THROUGH.
(B) OPPOSITION IS NOT JUST 'CONSERVATIVE' (YOUR TELNO 804 PARA 2,
3RD SENTENCE) IT IS AL SO COMMUNIST AND FROM OWNERS OF SMALL AND MEDIUM FACTORIES. OWNERS OF LARGE FACTORIES ARE MORE LIKELY TO LIKE A BROAD LONG-TERM VIEW. THE LINE-UP COULD BE NUMERICALLY FORMIDABLE IF I GIVE A WRONG IMPRESSION OF THE
SCOPE OF WHAT IS PROPOSED,
(C) I AM QUITE SATISFIED AS TO COMPARABILITY OF INCOMES, BUT NOT
AT ALL SATISFIED THAT THE COMPARABLE DEFICIENCIES IN HONG KONG'S LEGISLATION RESULTS IN COMPARABLE DEFICIENCIES IN PROTECTION BECAUSE OF THE LEVEL OF ENFORCEMENT IN NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES. I AM COMMITTED TO BROAD COMPARABILITY OF LEGISLATION (REGARDLESS OF COMPARABILITY OF ENFORCEMENT), BUT THE ENLARGEMENT AND TIGHTENING UP OF MY PHRAZEOLOGY WHICH YOU SUGGEST TO PROVIDING THEM WITH LESS PROTECTION THAN OUR NEIGHBOURS GIVE THEIRS' COULD BE TURNED AGAINST MY BY THE MANY EMPLOYERS FAMILIAR WITH CONDITIONS IN NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES.
(D) THE COUPLING OF A 5-YEAR PERIOD WITH SUCH A MOUTHFUL OF
LEGISLATION THIS YEAR MAY MAKE PEOPLE THINK THAT A SIMILAR AMOUNT WILL FOLLOW IN EACH SUCCEEDING YEAR. IN FACT THE FIRST
3
CONFIDENTIAL
/YEAR