X If H.M.G. ratify, the Gonvention will not enter into form until at least a year after the date of ratifica- tion.
(Inta.)J.G.H.
(Intd)J.GH
hitherto to the three International Labour
Conventions (Nos. 4, 5 and 6) concerning the
night work of women, the fixing of a minimum age
for the admission of children to industrial employ-
ment, and the night work of young persons
respectively.
The main points on which the Ordinance
brings the Hong Kong legislation more into line
with the Conventions are
(a) The minimum age at which children are
permitted to be employed in an industrial
undertaking is increased by paragraph 5 of the
Schedule from 12 to 14 years. The latter is the
age prescribed in Convention No.5.
(The
Convention has recently been revised by Convention
No.60 of 1937 flagged in Cmd.5584 annexed
and this Convention increases the minimum age to
15 years;
but the Convention No.60 has not yet
been ratified by H.M.G. If and when it is
X
ratified it will be necessary for the Government
of Hong Kong to consider the possibility of
applying it to the Colony. We need not, however,
say anything about the revised Convention at
this stage).
11
(b) Under paragraph 8 of the Schedule to
the Ordinance, the period during which women and
young persons (the latter being defined in
Section 2(10) of the Ordinance as any person of
or over the age of 14 years and under the age of
18 years") may not be employed during the night
save in exceptional circumstances is increased
from 10 to 11 hours (i.e. the hours are now
from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. instead of from 9.p.m.
to