-55-
90
XX.
INSPECTION OF FACTORIES AND WORKSHOPS
40. For the enforcement of factory and workshop legis- tion the employment of specialist officers is generally recognised as the most effective method. This is so be- cause modern industrial organisation represents a highly specialised form of social organisation on functional lines.
341. In Hong Kong modern industry is comparatively new and is passing through a process of adaptation. In fact it might be said that an industrial revolution is taking place with the usual attendant problems.
342. I cannot speak too highly of the way in which the day to day work of the Department of Labour Inspectorate has been carried out. Their duties have clearly been performed with zeal, fairness and care and they have developed an organisation which is able to enforce reason- able conditions of health and safety in all factories and workshops required to register.
343. The Inspectors have not been able, as in most countries, to act mainly as enforcement officers and because of the rapid development of industry and a lack of Industrial Consultants, they have had to act also in an advisory capacity on matters of which they have no wide technical knowledge although they have made the fullest use of technical personnel in the Government Service.
Criticism of safety methods, hygiene or layout, invariably elicits enquiry by the employer as to exactly what should be done to comply with the requirements of the Government.
345.
There is always an clement of risk in an inspector who is not technically qualified giving detailed advice on technical matters, particularly those relating to machinery, but for the time being there seems to be no satisfactory
alternative.
346.
It is better that some clear and detailed advice be given on such matters than that the employer should be left in doubt as to what is required of him. Lack of advice of this kind may well result in the prolonged deferment of permission to open a factory resulting in acute frustra- tion and unfair blame being placed on the shoulders of Government. I would like to stress however that as soon as it is possible to refer employers in need of technical advice to properly qualified consultants, this course of action should generally be adopted.
347.
During 1950, 487 applications for the registra- tion of factories and workshops were received. Four hun- dred and twenty registration certificates were issued, and 159 cancelled. Thirty-one applications were refused and 49 unregistered factories, found to be operating under unsuitable conditions, were closed. The zoning of factories ard workshops constitutes a problem which will exist until a decision is taken on bir Patrick Abercrombie's proposals. :
348. The field of inspection continues to expand because of industrial development and now embraces 167 in-
(See Appendix 12).
dustries.