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opportunity to form an organisation for monopolising jobs, extorting and exacting from workers, called the Hong Kong Chinese Seamen's Union. Moreover, the vessels under its control are confined to the four ships of the Canadian Pacific Railway Co. It is not a union of all the seamen in general. Even then, the said Leung Yuen-wo is not working for the welfare of the labourers of those four ships. His object is to use the Union for extortion. For instance, a fee of over $1,000 is charged for recommending a labourer to work on one of these ships. The workers on the ships are therefore highly indignant, and Leung Yuen-wo and his son Kwong Choi have on several occasions been followed to Shanghai and Canton and assaulted, nearly losing their lives. The organic nature of the Hong Kong Chinese Seamen's Union can thus be judged.
In view of your instructions I have the honour to submit the above for your consideration, and to request that the Foreign Ministry may be communicated with immediately so that the Inspector-General of Foreign Affairs may be asked to explain matters to the Hong Kong Government. The seamen in Hong Kong may thus have an organisation representing their whole body, and their activities may thus be brought within proper bounds."
In view of the above report, I have the honour to
address your Ministry again and to request that the Inspector-
General at Canton be asked to take up negotiations with the
Hong Kong Government on the lines raised by the above report.
I have etc. etc.
Preparatory Committee of
Chinese Seamen Labour Union.
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