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Enclo. No. 3.
taken from the Lan Kwok Yat Po of the 6th January, pro-
mulgating *temporary regulations for the prevention of
dispute between labour and capital in the province of Kuang-tung". I attach a note indicating the principal
anmendments made by the Council in the original draft.
2.
It is of interest to observe that the
123
Canton Soviet, considering a strike to be "a legitimate
method of securing improved conditions for workmen", and
with the avowed object of insuring the success of strikes,
prohibits masters of shops or factories from employing
strike-breakers (see regulation A.1.), and also requires
workmen on strike to be paid by their masters for the period
of the strike (see regulation A.3). The Government further
aims in regulation A.4 at protecting "the organization and
unity of the labour unions". On the other hand, in group B
of the regulations the object of the Government is to curb
the lawless tyranny of the Labour Unions. The intention of
group of the regulations is to protect "small handicrafts-
men" fran undue interference by Labour Unions on the occas-
+
sion of a strike, and the regulations in group D (specially
added by the Provincial Council itself) is to safeguard
"essential industries".
3.
The persistent labour agitation in chinese
territory, of which geographically speaking this Colony
fonas a part, and the attitude of the Canton Soviet towards
disputes between capital and labour will almost certainly
sooner or later be reflected in the relation between
employers and employed in riong Kong. Accordingly, at a
recent meeting of the Hong Kong General Defence Committee,
* Not printed.
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