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SUNDAY LABOR IN HONGKONG HARBOUR.
harbour shall be permitted on payment, in addition to the ordinary charges at present loviod [3.8. overtime of Custom house officers] of a fee equal to a day's demurrage, subject to a minimum charge of Rs. 50 and a maximum charge of Rs. 200, for each ship on board of which work is carried on. Demurrage for this purpose to be calculated at the rate of 64 annas per ton of registered tonnage."
this.
Legislation can be effected with the assistance of the local Chambers of Commerce. The reply of Lord Knutsford to Lord Meath's question in the House of Lords on July 25th sufficiently indicates He said that he did not think it would be possible to put an end to Sunday work generally in the Crown colonies except through an understanding to that effect amongst the Chambers of Commerce.
your movement,
I send this short statement in response to your Secretary, wishing you success in which will doubtless gain the sympathy and respect of all fairminded people,"
Copy
SUNDAY LABOR IN HONGKONG HARBOUR.
II
BRITISH MERCANTILE MARINE OFFICERS' ASSOCIATION, Hongkong, 22nd September, 1890.
To the Secretary---
GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, HONGKONG.
THE BRITISH MERCANTILE MARINE OFFICERS' ASSOCIATION.
A meeting of the above named Association was held at the Marine Hotel, Praya West, last night, the 19th Sept., when the general discussion opou the Sunday Labour Question closed with the passing of a resolution in connection therewith. The chair was taken by Mr. H. L. Newbam, who called upon Mr. Chesney Duncan, the Secretary, to read any special correspondence which he might be in possession of relative to the question at issue.
In response, Mr. Duncan said the Rev. Mr. Goldsmith had kindly favoured him with an extract from a letter received by him lately from Mr. Lang, an important Liverpool shipowner, who stated that he never allowed Sunday labour on board his ships and still he had never found himself a loser thereby. Mr. Duncan also said he was in possession of correspondence from the Government of Ceylon which showed that Sunday labour on board ships in Colombo harbour was prohibited, except upon payment of exorbitant special fees. A scale of these extra charges he now held in his hand. One of the leading arguments against the cessation of Sunday labour in Hongkong was, he understood, to the effect that Hongkong not being a terminus, but merely a port of call, it was of the utmost importance that vessels calling here should be despatched as quickly as possible. He was willing to admit that, but contended that owners could so run their ships as to avoid being in Hongkong on Sunday. Colombo was by no means terminus either, but there laws were enforced not with a view to wringing from owners exorbitant fees but for the purpose of diminishing labour on board ships on Sunday. He did not think it necessary to make owners pay stiff fees for working on Sunday, but he submitted that British officers, who were just as much entitled to their Sunday as any other subjects of the Queen, should be paid well for Sunday, extra, labour. It was not their duty, strictly speaking, to work in port on Sunday.
S18,
I AM instructed to hand you, enclosed, copy of a resolution which was carried ananimously at a meeting of this Association last Friday night, and in so doing, have to say that this Association trusts you
will be pleased to accede to its desire for a Conference (either public or private, the former preferred), in the hope that some modus vivendi, as the outcome of our joint deliborations, may be happily arrived at in connection with this important question (The Sunday Labour Question).
I am directed to assure you that this Association desires to move in respect to this much-vexed question in concert with shipowners, and not-as some may conjecture or aver-in antagonism to employers generally.
Trusting your honourable Chamber will favour this request, for a Conference, with its kind consideration, and assuring you of our deep esteem,
I have the honour to be,
Sir, Yours respectfully
CHESNEY DUNCAN,
Flon, Secretary.
N.B.-Personally delivered by me on the 22nd of September, 1890.-C.D.
a
CHESNEY DUNCAN, Esq.
Honorary Secretary,
The Chairman said it was clear from the remarks of Lord Knutsford in the House of Lords, that at prosent there was no hope for legislation on the subject, and the only way to obtain their Sunday, was to induce the Chamber of Commerce to press for legislation upon the matter, so that no foreign ships would be allowed to work on Sunday any more than British vessels. The Association had no desire to do anything which would be detrimental to the interests of owners.
The object of the resolution, which he was about to move the adoption of, was to cause the cessation of Sunday labour while acting in concert with shipowners as much as possible. He proposed "That in view of the fact that the sum and substance of official and public opinion generally was to the effect that the cessation of labour on board ships on Sunday, in Hongkong, could only be effected by moving the Chamber of Commerce, this Association decides that special representations should be made to the Chamber of Commerce with a view to the holding of a conference between delegates of this Association and the Chairman of the said Chamber."
Mr. Stainton seconded, and the resolution was carried unanimously. Mr. Chapman then proposed that "the Chamber of Commerce consenting to the Conference, this Association be represented by the President, Captain Ashton, and two or three members to be selected by the Committee."
Mr. Gale and Mr. Bowker seconded, and the motion was carried unanimously. The regular business of the Association having been disposed of, the meeting closed with a cordial vote of thanks to the Chairman.-Hongkong Telegraph.
HONGKONG GENERAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, Hongkong, 11th October 1890.
BRITISH MERCANTILE MARINE OFFICERS' ASSOCIATION.
SIE,
In answer to your favour of 22ud ultimo, which I bave not had the opportunity of replying to earlier, I am directed to state that the Committee of the Chamber will be happy to receive a deputation from the British Mercantile Marine Officers' Association to consider the Sunday Labour Question on Friday the 17th instant, at 4 p.m., which hour it is hoped will prove convenient.
I am,
Sir,
YOUR OBEDIENT SERVANT,
F. HENDERSON,
Secretary.
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