17
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1978
CHILD EMPLOYMENT CONTROL TO BE EXTENDED TO NON-INDUSTRIAL SECTOR
******
THE EXTENSION OF CHILD EMPLOYMENT CONTROL TO THE NON-INDUSTRIAL SECTOR IS AMONG A NUMBER OF NEW ITEMS OF LABOUR LEGISLATION TO BE
INTRODUCED DURING THIS SESSION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, SAID TODAY.
IN HIS OPENING ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, SIR MURRAY SAID OTHER NEW LABOUR LEGISLATION WOULD INCLUDE THE PROTECTION OF MORE NON-MANUAL WORKERS UNDER THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE, THE CONTROL OF WORKERS' SAFETY IN THE USE OF ELECTRICITY AND THE CONTROL OF FIRE SAFETY IN INDUSTRY,
THE WORKING PARTY ON THE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION ORDINANCE IS CONTINUING ITS REVIEW AND WILL DRAW UP RECOMMENDATIONS SOON, HE SAID.
SIR MURRAY SAID HONG KONG'S COMPLIANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL LABOUR CONVENTIONS ALSO CONTINUED TO IMPROVE WITH 40 CONVENTIONS HAVING BEEN APPLIED IN FULL OR WITH MODIFICATIONS.
+THIS REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF 11 SINCE 1974 AND WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO IMPROVE OUR DECLARATIONS IN RESPECT OF A FURTHER SIX BY 1980. IN THIS RESPECT HONG KONG COMPARES FAVOURABLY WITH OTHER COUNTRIES IN THIS REGION.+
SIR MURRAY STRESSED THAT THE LABOUR LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN RECENT YEARS HAD BEEN PROPOSED ON ITS HONG KONG MERITS.
+OUR CONCERN IS WHAT IS BENEFICIAL FOR HONG KONG, ITS WORKFORCE, AND ITS ECONOMY AS A WHOLE.
+NEVERTHELESS IT DOES NO HARM TO KEEP INTERNATIONAL COMPARISONS IN MIND. THESE ARE FAVOURABLE AND YOUR GOVERNMENT HAS MADE VERY GOOD PROGRESS IN ACHIEVING ITS TARGET OF BROAD COMPARABILITY WITH THE BEST AMONG NEIGHBOURING ASIAN COUNTRIES EXCLUDING JAPAN,+ HE SAID.
SIR MURRAY NOTED THAT THE VOLUME OF LABOUR LEGISLATION IN RECENT YEARS AND THE SUBSEQUENT WORK OF ENFORCEMENT IS INVOLVING SUBSTANTIAL RECRUITMENT OF STAFF WHICH MUST BE TRAINED AND ABSORBED, AND HE BELIEVED THAT IN THIS FIELD THE FIRST PRIORITY NOW IS ADMINISTRATIVE CONSOLIDATION.
ON INDUSTRIAL TRAINING, THE GOVERNOR SAID HE INTENDED TO APPOINT MORE TRAINING BOARDS AND SPECIALISTS COMMITTEES SOON TO ENABLE THE HONG KONG TRAINING COUNCIL TO EXTEND ITS ACTIVITIES INTO THE COMMERCIAL AND SERVICE SECTORS.
HE SAID THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED CLOTHING INDUSTRY AND CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TRAINING CENTRES HAD PROVED POPULAR AND SUCCESSFUL, AND THE TRAINING COUNCIL HAD RECOMMENDED A NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL TRAINING SCHEMES IN OTHER INDUSTRIES TO BE FINANCED BY A GENERAL LEVY AND ADMINISTERED BY A STATUTORY TRAINING COUNCIL.
+THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE NOW BEING CONSIDERED BY THE GOVERNMENT, HE SAID. SIR
SIR MURRAY ADDED THAT ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE TRAINING COUNCIL, A FURTHER EIGHT TRADES HAD BEEN DESIGNED UNDER THE APPRENTICESHIP ORDINANCE DURING THE YEAR.
/18