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4. The evidence obtained at the interviews mentioned in section 2 left no doubt as to the necessity for legislation. It was felt that further interviews would only result in the accumulation of information of the same type, and that the next step should be to visit the factories, and test the accuracy of the knowledge already gained.
The following factories or works in the Causeway Bay district were visited by the Commission as a whole :-
The Nan Yang Tobacco Factory.
The M. Y. San Glass Factory.
The Kwong Sang Hong Glass Factory.
The Hing Wah Paste Manufactory.
The Kwong Kei Engineering Works.
The Meh Wah Knitting and Dyeing Factory.
The following factories or works were also visited by individual members of
the Commission.
The M. Y. San Biscuit Factory, Wanchai.
The Kwong Sung Hong Perfumery Factory, Wanchai.
The Kowloon Docks.
The Taikoo Docks.
The Lei Man Hing Knitting Factory,
The Tung Ah Knitting Factory, Yaumati.
The Oi Kwan Cloth Factory. Shamsbaipo.
5. As a result of these visits the following additional findings were made:-
(1) That the information supplied to the Commission was not in all cases accurate, and that there had been a tendency of witnesses to under- estimate the number of children employed. In view of the casual nature of much of the child labour of the Colony it cannot be easy to obtain an accurate estimate of its extent.
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(2) That in glass factories the labour conditions were unsatisfactory. The work was done mostly by boys, whose daily tasks including three or four short intervals for meals, last from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.. and who are paid at the rate of $1.00 per head per month in addition to their food. The sanitary conditions of these factories are unhealthy, the temperature is raised by the heat of the furnaces to an injuriously high level, the air is vitiated by gases and filled with floating particles of glass, and the physique of the workers is con- sequently poor. In explanation of these conditions it is stated that the boys are apprentices, who are only paid a nominal wage as they have the privilege of learning a trade, and that they are provided with free board and lodging. It is difficult to believe that the boys in these fuctories are in reality apprentices, for they greatly outnumbered the men, who appeared rather to fill the role of foremen workers. From the general appearance of the boys it seemed unlikely that they would all live long enough or be healthy enough to take men's work. provision of lodging in and around the factory precincts cannot be considered as other than a doubtful advantage. When all allowances are made, we are of opinion that the labour conditions in these factories are thoroughly bad.
(3) That in engineering works the boys employed fall into two classes.
The
Those boys employed in the shops are genuine apprentices, who serve for definite periods, and who have every chance of becoming skilled workmen. All are directly employed by the Companies, are of good physique and work reasonable hours. Labour of this kind is not very objectionable.
In the rougher and unskilled classes of work, the conditions are entirely different, for the labour is not employed directly by the Companies, but is provided by a system of sub-contracting. At the
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interview mentioned in Section 3 (5) it was stated that boys were absolutely necessary for much of this unskilled labour. In the work of boilerchipping, for example, we were given to understand that boiler man-holes were so small that they could only be entered by boys.
After seeing the work in progreas we are not convinced of the validity of this argument.
We have reason to believe that in British ship-building yards adults are employed on this work, and we can see no reason other than cheapness why boys should be employed in Hongkong. It is only fair to say that the physique of the boys seen by some of us was good, but on the other hand such work could not be done by weaklings, an in the words of one of the employers" It either makes them, or breaks them.” It is probable that the law of the survival of the fittest operates with unusual severity in this work, but owing to the almost inexhaustible supply of labour the necessary standard of physical fitness can be maintained. The strain on the undeveloped boy under sixteen (16) (English 144) is too great, and it should not be continued. Chinese boys at sixteen (16) years of age are generally small.
(4) That the system of sub-contracting was prevalent in all classes of
unskilled labour.
The system appears to be a potent influence in depressing thestandard of living, for the sub-contractor is usually concerned with both work and labour, and is compelled to make up by reductions in wages the cuta in prices due to successive transferences of the contract. Every addition to the chain of sub-contractors tends to react unfavourably on the earnings of labour. While the system continues, the Colony's labour cannot be expected to be in a satisfactory condition, but as it affects adults even more widely than children, we would exceed the terms of our reference if we made any recommendations in regard to it.
(5) That many children now employed in factories have been brought into
the Colony from the country specially for work of this kind.
In the course of the inspections this question was repeatedly asked. and in many cases it was found that the children had been brought from the country by some relative, who was then working in the factory, and that they had been in the Colony for periods varying from a few months to a few years. This indicates the existence of considerable financial inducements to workers in Hongkong to find posts for their relatives from the interior of China, anil is of importance in regard to the popular argument that any measure of social reforın in Hongkong would only result in an influx of needy people from the country eager to take advantage of the new conditions. If social reform meant money for nothing, some such result would probably take place; but if the right kind of economic inducement is held out. to the people in the interior, a more desirable type of houser could be secured.
6. As a result of the interviews with factory managers, and the visits to inctories previously described, we are of opinion that legislation should be introduc- ed to give effect to the following recommendations —
(1) That all employers of children be compelled to register them.
This recommendation is meant to apply not only to factories and workshops but when practicable to employers of casual labour,
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(2) That no child under the age of eleven (11) (Chinese) years be employed
in any factory, or in any form of casual labour, and that in any case arising under this legislation, the onus of proving the age of the child be upon the employer.
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