12. Press Extract "News Chronicle'
►
13.
Glasgow
Herald
14
15th You HZ..
번..
Manchester Guardian
Tel 140475
16. Reuter Extracts.
M Half
Mr Sit
23-12-49.
29-12-49
29.12.49
29-12-49
7
1
ר}
31
We should know within the next few days whether the situation is
is going
to detesenate
CA
и
improve. The bus workers have
дикат
ultimatum may
stake
9
tommow. If they do not strike I theinch or con
hope for an
improvement in the
situation.
hi
HHall
3/1
ho- Barktrop tores & remi
One
Mr. Paskin
guilty
Reference Mr. Watson's note attached.
We discussed this this afternoon with Mr. Parry and Mr. Grossmith. Mr. Parry agreed that the telegrams on the file indicated that the Labour Department in Hong Kong had proceeded entirely correctly in this matter and gone as for as they could in getting parties together. The employers appear to have acted properly. The tramways in Hong Kong should not we think be regarded as an "essential service". Arbitration hed been offered twice by the employers at the instigation of the Labour Department and had twice been rejected. The employers were not therefore acting unreasonably in refusing to reopen negotiations as reoed in the Times.
Any idea of the Government offering to take over the tramways seemed to us to be out of the question. It would in effect be an invitation to the Public Utility Companies' labour to strike with hope of a similar treatment then would have to take over concerns whose 1:bour Unions
The Government
•
are