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the influence or direction of associations established outside Hong Kong and over which the authorities here have no control and, more recently, to prevent a possible undesirable influence by external organisations of non- Chinese source being exerted over local trade unions to the detriment of Hong Kong. Local trade unions are legally required to seek consent to affiliate with or join external organisations. Each case is considered on its merits. Thirty. eight applications for approval to affiliate with bona fide international organisations, trade unions or otherwise, have been approved; none have been refused.
(ii) Federation
Section 55 of the Trade Unions Ordinance limits the membership of a federation to those local registered trade unions the members of which are engaged in the same trade, industry or occupa- tion. The main intentions of this provision are:
(a) to permit unions operating within the
trade, industry or occupation to federate, thereby becoming in effect one trade union representing all the employees in that particular trade, industry or occupation; (b) to restrict the formation of trade union
federation to trade unions having in common genuine trade or economic interests and to discourage the formation of large federa- tions of trade unions having widely different domestic interests but tied together by political interests.
The intention behind the restriction in (b) above has for long been to bar two local political rivals, the Federation of Trade Unions and Trades Union Council, from seeking registration as trade union federations. The historical background of this provision had been the subject of Saving Despatch of 25th June 1968 to you. Though since that date one trade union federation has been registered, the position described in that paper is still valid.
Article 10.2
Noted.
Article 13.2.(2)
Under the provisions of Part VII of the Education Ordinance the Director of Education is empowered to order attendance at primary schools. However there is no definition
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