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WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 1977
J
MAXIMUM FINE FOR ILLEGALLY EMPLOYING CHILDREN
UNDER 14 RAISED
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THE MAXIMUM FINE FOR ILLEGALLY EMPLOYING CHILDREN UNDER 14 IN INDUSTRY WILL BE RAISED FROM $5,000 TO $13,000 UNDER AN AMENDMENT TO THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS REGULATIONS APPROVED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
MOVING THE RESOLUTION, THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, THE HON. IAN PRICE, SAID THAT, ALTHOUGH ILLEGAL EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN DID NOT TAKE PLACE ON A LARGE SCALE, IT STILL EXISTED DESPITE RIGOROUS ENFORCEMENT BY THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT.
HE WENT ON: +IT AROUSES CONSIDERABLE CRITICISM ABROAD AND RENDERS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT THE WORK OF OUR TRADE NEGOTIATORS, BECAUSE IT IS USED AS A BASIS FOR THE FALLACIOUS ARGUMENT THAT HONG KONG USES CHEAP CHILD LABOUR TO ACHIEVE COMPETITIVE PRICES, +
+SUCH CHARGES WILL BE PARTICULARLY DAMAGING TO HONG KONG'S REPUTATION AND TRADING INTERESTS IN THE YEAR AHEAD WHEN SEVERAL MAJOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS ARE DUE TO BE RE-NEGOTIATED.+
MR. PRICE EXPLAINED THAT HE HAD MADE THESE REGULATIONS TO MAKE CLEAR THAT +GOVERNMENT REGARDS THE ILLEGAL EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN AS SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE, IS DETERMINED TO ERADICATE IT, AND REGARDS SUCH OFFENCES AS BEING PARTICULARLY SERIOUS. +
+ IT IS HOPED, HE SAID, THAT THE DOUBLING OF THE MAXIMUM FINE WILL LEAD TO THE COURTS TAKING A MORE SERIOUS VIEW OF OFFENCES AGAINST THE REGULATION AND IMPOSING FINES AT A HIGHER LEVEL THAN HAS BEEN THE GENERAL PRACTICE IN THE PAST.+
SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION, SENIOR UNOFFICIAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR, DR. THE HON. S.Y. CHUNG URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO +SERIOUSLY CONSIDER WITH SOME PRIORITY+ THE INCLUSION IN THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE OF A CLAUSE BANNING THE EMPLOYMENT OF ANY CHILD, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THOSE WHO HAVE EXPRESS PERMISSION FROM THE AUTHORITIES CONCERNED.
HE SAID THAT THERE WERE TWO BASIC REASONS FOR PROHIBITING THE EMPLOYMENT IN ANY INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKING OF CHILDREN, WHO ARE DEFINED AS PERSONS UNDER THE AGE OF 14 YEARS.
+ THE FIRST IS BECAUSE OF HEALTH AND SAFETY. THE SECOND AND THE MORE IMPORTANT REASON IS SOCIAL UNDESIRABILITY,+ HE ADDED.
DR. CHUNG ASKED MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL TO PONDER OVER THE ISSUE ON THE EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN NOT ONLY IN INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS BUT MORE WIDELY INCLUDING SERVICE INDUSTRIES AND OTHER TRADES.
/+AS THE