Lup to date
INWARD TELEGRAM
TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES
COPY FOR REGISTRATION
Cypher (0.T.P.)
DEC
1949
27
FROM HONG KONG (Sir A. Grantham
17
D. 24th December, 1949. R. 24th
It
10.
PRIORITY
53509
No. 1383 Secret.
Addressed to the S. of s. Repeated
"Commissioner General No. 375.
(9)
Your telegram No. 1886.
Pincke
10:
26
I regret Commissioner of Labour
conference with
tramways failed to secure any agreement on major question of a special allowance of 83 per diem, on which there is a complete deadlock. Commissioner suggested recourse tɔ arbitration, which was accepted by employers but rejected
On 22nd December workers by workers after union meetings. presented ultimatum demanding compliance with all demands on
Deadline of ultimatum threat of unspecified action. was 5 a.m. 24th December and action which has developed is that workers are operating trams on a go-slow basis and are -
So far there has refusing to collect any fares whatsoever. been no disorder. Next move is now with the management.
Although leaders of left wing federation
have
recently visited Canton there is no evidence that agitation is being directly fomented by Communist authorities in China. It appears more probable that present agitation is a move by Federation to secure for itself a dominant position in local labour. feorrupt group ? Malayan) workers in other utility companies have not presented their management with definite ultimatum.
Ends.
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