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Tuesday, October 16, 1973
This was an impressive increase by world standards, and had taken the
Hong Kong worker's everage wage to a level which International Labour Organisation
statistics showed was surpassed in the Far East only by Japan.
On top of this, virtually every worker outside the civil service received
at least one month's extra pay at Christmas, and there were widespread fringe
benefits such as subsidised meals and transport, free medical attention and good
attendance and other bonuses.
Mr. Price flatly denied that Hong Kong's labour legislation was lagging
behind internationally accepted standards.
He said: "One method of measuring labour standards is to look at
international labour conventions. Of these 28 have been applied to Hong Kong.
By way of comparison in Asia, Japan was one ahead with 29, Singapore
had ratified 21, and Halaysia eight.
"And in view of certain brick-bats which have been thrown at us
recently, I might also mention that South Africa has ratified only 12 conventions,
of which it subsequently denounced two."
Mr. Price also refuted allegations that labour legislation was
inadequately policed and rarely enforced. He said officers of the Labour
Department strictly enforced all labour legislation. Last year 5,870 employers
were prosecuted for various offences and fines of over $1.5 million were imposed.
"In conclusion," said Mr. Price, "I would like to say that most of
the heat this cunner seems to have been generated by the false prophecies to
which I have reforred.
"I hope
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