2.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1976
+FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN THIS PARTICULAR AGE GROUP, THERE HAS TO BE A THOROUGH ASSESSMENT OF THE NUMBERS TO BE CATERED FOR, AND WHAT GENERAL OR SPECIFIC PLANS HAVE TO BE MADE FOR THEM BY WAY OF RECREATION, SPORT, ADULT EDUCATION, AND JOB PLACEMENT,
HE ADDED.
ON OVERTIME WORK FOR WOMEN OVER 18 YEARS OF AGE IN INDUSTRY, HE SAID HE WOULD NOT SUPPORT ANY MOVE IN THE NEAR FUTURE AIMED AT REDUCING THE EXISTING OVERTIME LIMIT OF 200 HOURS IN ANY YEAR OR TWO HOURS IN ANY DAY.
MR. WU RAISED SEVERAL POINTS DURING HIS SPEECH IN WHICH HE SAID HE COULD NOT SUPPORT MR. PRICE'S MOTION.
THE POINTS HE RAISED INCLUDE: YOUNG PEOPLE IN HONG KONG TODAY ENJOY COMPLETE FREEDOM IN REGARD TO CHOICE OF WORK, OVERTIME, STUDIES AND SPORTS YOUNG PEOPLE ARE REALISING THAT THE REWARDS AND PROSPECTS IN INDUSTRY ARE BETTER FACTORIES OFFERING MORE OVERTIME WORK ATTRACT MORE WORKERS- 97.6 PER CENT OF THE WORKERS IN THE 16-17 AGE GROUP CONSULTED FEEL THAT OVERTIME FOR THEM SHOULD NOT BE ABOLISHED AND ALL TRADE AND INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS HAVE OBJECTED TO THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION.
+SIR, IN MY VIEW OF THE FACTS ENUMERATED ABOVE, AND THE EMOTIONAL REMARKS OF THE COMMISSIONER WHEN HE UNFORTUNATELY USED THE WORDS +WEAR AND TEAR+ OF YOUNG BODIES AS IF THEY ACTUALLY OCCURRED IN HONG KONG IN THIS DAY AND AGE, ONE CAN ONLY LAMENT THE IGNORANCE AND ATTITUDES ROOTED IN THE POVERTY AND INEQUALITY OF THE PAST, WHICH EVILS HONG KONG HAS LARGELY ELIMINATED IRONICALLY BY THE SHEER DILIGENCE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP OF ITS INDUSTRIOUS PEOPLE IN CREATING AN AFFLUENT SOCIETY, HE SAID.
IN OPPOSING THE PROPOSED REGULATIONS, MR. TIEN SAID THERE WERE SEVERAL GROUNDS ON WHICH HE FELT HE COULD NOT SUPPORT THE COMMISSIONER.
HE DID NOT BELIEVE THAT AN AVERAGE OF 33 MINUTES' OVERTIME WORK FOR YOUNG PERSONS WOULD AND COULD CAUSE UNDUE +WEAR AND TEAR+.
MR. TIEN SAID THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST, NOR HAD IT BEEN SUGGESTED, THAT THESE YOUNG PERSONS WERE BEING FORCED, OR DRIVEN TO WORKING OVERTIME.
+UNLESS AND UNTIL CONVINCING EVIDENCE IS ADDUCED THAT THERE IS A CASE FOR MAKING CHANGES, I FEEL STRONGLY THAT THIS COUNCIL SHOULD NOT ALLOW ITSELF TO BE USED TO LEGISLATE AWAY THE FREEDOM OF CHOICE WHICH ANY SECTOR OF THE COMMUNITY DOES, AND CAN REASONABLY EXPECT TO CONTINUE TO ENJOY, HE EMPHASISED.
REGARDING OVERTIME WORK FOR ADULT WOMEN, HE URGED THE COUNCIL TO ABOLISH THIS RESTRICTION AND +TO EQUATE THEM WITH THOSE AT PRESENT PERTAINING TO ADULT MALES UPON WHOM THERE ARE NO SUCH RESTRICTIONS.+
MR. CHE