5
183
and the Tea-house Waiters 12,000.
The Mechanics
and Seamen have recently shown some activity
in bringing in new members, the former extending
their organisation to include such trades as those
of blacksmiths, motor drivers and railwaymen,
while the latter are busy absorbing the crews of
such river craft as junks and lighters. There
can be little doubt that the influence of the
Seamen's Union has waned since its proscription
in Hong Kong, and the substitution of Ming Po
men for Cantonese on board a number of Ccean
roing steamers has still further restricted its activities outside Kuangtung. At the same time
it would seem that the Union is still powerful enough to impose its will on the Canton Authorities in matters outside the sphere of official interests Correspondence between the President of the Canton
Seamen's Union and the Branch Political Council
has been published in the local Press. In its
letter to the Union the Council announces its
decision that the regulations governing the relations between employers and employees are not to be binding on the employees of Foreign Firms who are presumably at liberty to employ all those forms of boycott and intimidation with which Europeans have become familiar during the
nast few years.
long
8. The Tea House Taiters' Union/known as a dangerous organisation is the mainstay of the General Labour Union of Kuangtung and in that capacity takes an active part in local politics. In Hongkong, although its Officials were
prominent in the attemot to resuscitate the
Mong Con