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1
In
and other inhabitants of the Colony, and the action
taken early in 1927 in proscribing the Union and
suppressing its Hong Kong branch as an unlawful
society under the Societies Ordinance, 1920.
the same year there was enacted in the Colony, with
the approval of the S. of S., the Illegal Strikes
and Lockouts Ordinance, 1927, in which was
included a section (7(1)) providing that "except
with the consent of the Governor in Council no
trade union which is established within the Colony
shall be affiliated or connected with any trade
union or other organisation which is established
outside the Colony in such a manner as to place the
trade union which is established within the Colony,
or any of its members, in any way or in any matter
under the control of the trade union or other
organisation which is established outside the
Colony."
Mr. N.L. Smith said that he fully
appreciated the desirability in principle of
encouraging legitimate trade union organisations
on whom the Government could rely in responsible
negotiations concerning terms and conditions of
labour, and he did not doubt that the contemporary
experiences both of the seamens strike in the Colony
and of the General Strike in this country to some
extent accounted for the measures then taken in
Hong Kong. He had himself taken a hand in
promoting a purely local organisation of seamen in
Hong Kong under the name of the Chinese Seamen's
Associated Union which, however, had not proved
to be effective. Personally he had been in favour
of falling in with the suggestion made by the
Central Government of China in 1934 that a new
all-China
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all-China seamens union under the aegis of the
Central Government should be permitted to
establish a branch in Hong Kong. As the note
attached, however, shows, the Governor decided
that it was not in the interests of Hong Kong
to do so and nothing more has been done about it.
Mr. Smith explained that the Canton
Seamens Union, which is clearly the body on
whose behalf Mr. Creech Jones is now making
representations, has few
legitimate
functions, but exercises considerable power in
Canton politics and otherwise conducts little
more than racketeering activities amongst
seamen in and around the Canton River. It is,
in fact, the chief organisation against whom
Nanking was hoping to organise a counter in the
form of an all-China union.
Mr. Smith pointed out that the
present results of the Central Government's
conflict with the South-West Political Council
might be to place it in a position to suppress
such subversive and separatist organisations at
Canton as the Seamens Union there. In any case,
it would seem very difficult to show any favour
to this Canton Union after the rejection of the
application in 1934 of the Union sponsored
by the recognised Government of China.
Mr. N.L. Smith therefore agreed that
it would be the best course to write to the
Governor of Hong Kong in a general way without
particularly appearing to support the claims of
Union
the Canton Government, but explaining that in
general the S. of S. was in favour of
recognising and even encouraging legitimate
labour
age 9
age 9
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Submit to regetration
labour organisations in the Colonies, that these
representations on behalf of the Canton Union had
been received, and that he was not unmindful of the
application unsuccessfully made on behalf of an
all-China Seamens Union in 1934, and that he would
be glad if the Governor would take the whole
subject into consideration and report to him upon
the present position. Further, it might be added
that on the repeat of the docieties Sráśnance in
enhe
Hong Kong it would appear most desirable to make
leair Pahin
some alternative provision to require recognised
trade unions to render reports and accounts to
Government in some sufficient form periodically,
and for this purpose a copy of the recent Ceylon
might
Ordinance should be enclosed as a model.
I submit a
eft dechabt
for consideration.
^
The Ceylon Grace
21/1
was passed
after commiltation with
Ministry of Labour,
regarded
Secretary of State
네이
as
the
& may be a suitable model.
HQlowell
gr 24/7/36
Jam
36.
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