Emyloyment
22.
Excănge Managers.
81
23.
24.
I notice that Miss Hinder only recommends the appointment of employment exchange managers as a later development in the growth of the labour department.
It
I would prefer to leave this matter open for further discussion when I return to the Colony. Frankly I can see very great difficulties in the way of opening effective employment exchanges in Hong Kong and I do not think it is an experiment which should be undertaken without careful consideration of local conditions, may be that a study of the methods which are being used in India would be of great value, and possibly a start could be made in connexion with an attempt to stabilize the casual labour employed in stevadoring and wharf work generally, but the whole subject requires careful and detailed consideration on the spot.
Finally there is Miss Hinder's recommendation for a Labour Advisory Conuittee, I think that a tripartite Committee of the type she mentions under the Chairmanship of the Labour Commissioner might advantageously take the place of the old Labour Advisory Board. I can see such Committee being of considerable service to Government provided the members were prepared to accept their responsibilities seriously and give generously of their time and labour when occasion deman .ed, I do not however like the use by Miss Hinder of the phrase "the c.of L. should be its executive",
I do not think that she meant to imply anything more than that the C. of L. should place the resources of his department at the service of the Committee in making inquiries or otherwise obtaining any information they might desire and that he would act as their representative in approaching Govt. or other employers or associations of employees. There is, however, a possible implication that the Committee would initiate measures of policy and would instruct the C. of L. to put them into force.
This would of course create an impossible position, but so long as it is clearly understood that the functions of the Committee would be consultative and advisory only, I would unhesitatingly support Miss Hinder's recommendation,
For ease of reference I submit my proposals for staffing of the Labour Department in tabular form, side by side with Miss ilinder's recommendation
Miss Kinder's recommendation