140
LTD.
A
1946
2
Cms
Ref.:
CO 537/1427
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
2
restrictions. Further information is given in the enclosed 'Terms and Conditions of supply of National Archives' leaflet.
Please note that this copy is supplied subject to the National Archives' terms and conditions and that your use of it may be subject to copyright
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00141
2
Cms
Ref.:
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
CO 537/1427
restrictions. Further information is given in the enclosed Terms and Conditions of supply of National Archives' leaflet. Please note that this copy is supplied subject to the National Archives' terms and conditions and that your use of it may be subject to copyright
-2-
recognise them as workmen's delegates and have given them the option of carrying on as honest fitters or brass-finishers or leaving our employ and becoming professional labour agitators. They have decided in favour of the former. The title of Taikoo Chinese Recreation Club has been abandoned.
We hope this is the end of this incident and the end of an organisation which has been behind most of our post-war labour trouble.
We must however, put something better and healthier in its place. The outcome of this recent trouble has been a victory for Taikoo labour over outside labour agitation and we feel strongly that now is the time to form an Association of our own staff and workmen. We have therefore formed a Social and Welfare Committee representing all departments and we attach a copy of the notice which we have sent to all departments.
one
If the workmen and their families realise that we have their interests at heart, the outside agitators will have a difficult task to create labour trouble here. Social and Welfare Work will be under the supervision of the Management, but the organisation and carrying out of the work must be done by the Chinese themselves. A really intelligent Committee will be of great value to us. For example of the Knotiest" problem we have ahead is Labour Housing. We have to eliminate non-workers; we have to stamp out the present system of sub-letting by which one Dockyard worker rents a house from us at $12 per month and two other Dockyard workers each pay him $15.00 for a section of the house. A number of the Chinese have already suggested that, in view of the present acute housing shortage, we divided the houses into three and let the sections at $4 each. In the matter of housing, this Committee should be very useful. The Committee would organise the Taikoo Dockyard Recreation Club with inter-departmental contests, etc. There would be a sub-committee in charge of the school Another sub-committee would operate the rice depot which is very popular with the workers. Here we sell Government rationed rice, sugar, salt and pea-nut oil at a very small margin. Any profit goes. to the workers' welfare fund. The workman's wife appreciates that at our depot she gets her fair whack without any adulteration. The quantity of Government rationed rice sold at 20 cents a catty is insufficient for a workman and his family and a certain quantity of rice has to be purchased in the local market. The price in the open market is high and varies to-day from 75 cents for very inferior quality rice to $2.00 for good quality rice. Mr. C.P. long of "House" purchasing department has been able to secure for us from time to time quantities of good quality rice in the open market at very reasonable prices. We are holding this meantime and later we will be able to let
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