II
OCCUPATIONS, WAGES AND LABOUR ORGANIZATION
Apart from the farmers of the New Territories and the fairly considerable fishing community the working population relies for its livelihood mainly on one or other of the branches of commerce of this great entrepôt, though several thousands are engaged in industry of which there are now more than 170 types.
The employment returns for the third quarter of the
year (which are discussed in greater detail in a later section) show an increase of some 8,000 over the previous year. In actual fact however the employment situation became increasingly difficult as the result of shortage of raw materials and increased prices. The introduction of a system of essential supply certificates for raw materials from the United States and later from other sources only mitigated the severity of the Colony's economic difficulties, which have been reflected in increasing numbers of unemployed, particularly among the workers in small unregistrable factories whose numbers are not shown in the employment returns.
Labour Department
This department, of which the Commissioner of Labour is the head, carries out statutory duties in the registration and inspection of factories and workshops and the registration of trade unions, provides conciliation officers to deal with trade disputes and complaints about such matters as arrears of wages or wrongful dismissal and advises trade unions on questions of management and finance.
During the early months of the year Mr. R. G. D. Houghton, C.B.E., a senior official of the Ministry of Labour, was seconded to the department to consult with and advise the Commissioner on numerous labour problems in the Colony. His recommendations will be of great value in the framing of local labour policy.
The range of the department's work was enlarged towards the end of the year by the establishment of a mines sub-department under a Superintendent of Mines to deal with the difficult situation which had
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