CO129-469 - Governor Sir Stubbs - 1921 [9-12] — Page 326

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LS JR. E. STUBBS,

B

Governor.

PROCLAMATION

Y His Excellency Sir REGINALD EDWARD STUBBS, Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Colony of Hongkong and its Dependencies and Vice-Admiral of the same.

Whereas by the second section of the Commissioners Powers Ordinance, 1886, it is enacted that the Governor in Council shall have power to nominate and appoint Commissioners under the public seal for the purpose of instituting, making, and conducting any enquiry that may be deemed advisable and for reporting

thereon:

And whereas the Governor-in-Council has deemed it advisable that an enquiry should be instituted, made, and conducted into the conditions of the industrial employment of children in Hongkong, and the desirability and feasibility of legislation for the regulation of such employment.

Now, I, Sir Reginald Edward Stubbs, Knight Commander of the Most distin- guished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Governor and Commander-in- Chief of the Colony of Hongkong and its Dependencies, and Vice-Admiral of the

with the advice and consent of the Executive Council, hereby appoint you:-

same,

The Honourable Mr. Stewart Buckle Carne Ross.

Mr. Chow Shou Son.

Mr. Li Ping

Dr. Charles William McKenny, M.D., B.CH., B.4,0.

Miss Ada Mary Pitts.

The Rev. Herbert Richmond Wells.

to be Commissioners for the purpose of instituting, making, and conducting such enquiry:

And I do also appoint you, the said Mr. Stewart Buckle Carne Ross, to be Chairman of the said Commissioners:

And I do also order and direct that for all or any of the purposes of the said enquiry four Commissioners inclusive of the Chairman shall be and constitute a

quorum:

And I do further, with the advice and consent of the Executive Council, order and direct that the said Commissioners shall have all the powers, rights, and privileges set out in the third section of the said Ordinance:

And I do further require you, the said Commissioners, to report to inc your findings in the matter of the said enquiry and your recommendations, at as early a date as possible.

Given under my hand and the Public Seal of the Colony at Victoria, Hong- kong, this 24th day of March, 1921.

By Command,

Sa.

CLAUD SEVERN, Colonial Secretary,

GOD SAVE THE KING,

Hosurong, 24th October, 1921.

Su-We, the Undersigned, appointed by virtue of the above proclamation, have the honour to submit the results of our enquiries into the industrial employ- quent of children in Hongkong, and our recommendations for the regulation of such employment.

1. At the first meeting held on April 6th the following resolutions were adopted ---

(1) That the meetings of the Commission be held in private.

(2) That before any factories were inspected, managers should be summoned to give evidence as to actual conditions of child labour in their factories (3) That a child should be understood to be a persou below the age of

sixteen (16) years, according to the Chinese method of calculation. Reckoned according to the English system, this age is equivalent to fourteen and a half (141) years. [Throughout this report references to ages are, unless otherwise specified, to be taken as calculated on the Chinese system. }

(4) That as the scope of our enquiry covered industrial and factory labour only, we were not expected to make any enquiry with regard either to agricultural or to domestic labour.

PART 1.

Child Labour in Factories.

the following factorios :-

2. At three subsequent meetings, evidence was taken from representatives of

The M. Y. San, Biscuit Factory, Causeway Bay.

The Nan Yang Tobacco Company, Causeway Bay.

The Orient Tobacco Factory. Yaumati.

The Kwong Sang Houg Perfumery Factory,

Praga East, Wanchai.

The Kam Hing Knitting Factory, Tsim Sha Tsui,

The Chinese Foreign Knitting Factory, Farmati.

The Tung Ah Knitting Factory, 600 Shanghai Street, Yaunutí.

The Lei Mau Hing Knitting Factory, 15 Sai Kung Street, Tsim Sha Tsui.

The Ching Wo Wa Yeong Knitting Factory, 482 Canton Road, Baumati.

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