HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT, 1952
Sarawak and North Borneo. The Protector of Labour, Sarawak, visited the Colony early in the year to arrange co-operation over recruitment. Model contracts based on the requirements of the International Labour Office Conventions have been drawn up for the guidance of employers.
The Commissioner of Labour as Registrar of Trade Unions is responsible for the enforcement of the Trade Union Ordinance; one of the Labour Officers advises trade unions on management and internal organization.
Labour Advisory Board
The Labour Advisory Board comprises representa- tives of employers and workers: four in each group, two of whom are elected and two nominated by the Governor. The Commissioner of Labour is ex-officio chairman of the Board and a Labour Officer acts as secretary. The Chief of Staff, British Forces, represent- ing the three Services, attends meetings of the Board as an observer.
In 1952 the full Board met on two occasions only. At the first meeting it considered the problem of apprenticeship in Hong Kong and decided that this question required detailed investigation which could best be carried out by a sub-committee of the Board. The sub-committee met on six occasions during the year and has made considerable progress towards formulating its final recommendations, which will probably be put forward in the form of a draft bill to regulate apprentice- ship in designated trades. The second meeting of the full Board considered two progress reports: one from the sub-committee on apprenticeship and one from the Commissioner of Labour on Workmen's Compensation. Work on the draft bill on Workmen's Compensation was completed by the end of the year.
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