CO129-499-4 Canton situation- governor's despatches 18-3-1927 - 22-4-1927 — Page 54

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O.P.

Labour Union at once petitioned the Foreign Office, and

sent their Executive Officers, Fung King and Ko Tsam,

to the Eranch Political Council, Canton, to ask that

a grave protest be made to the British Consul-General.

They have also sent out a telegram appealing for the

assistance of all classes of the people. We now publish below their petition to the Foreign Office and their telegram to the people.

Petition to the Foreim Cffic. talu centre

In the matter of a petition:-

We are in receipt of a letter from the Hong Kong

General Labour Union which reads as follows:-

"Our Union is a general federation of all labour

associations in Hong Kong. It was established in the 10th year of the Republic (1921) with the due approval of the Government of Hong Kong. Since its establishment

it has been most successful in its function of unifying

all its members in a fraternal spirit. Its objects cre peaceable and good, and it restraints its actions within the proper limits, and has never infringed any of the laws of the Government of Hong Kong. In the 14th. year

of the Republic (1925) the Canton-Hong Kong Strike occurred, and the work of the Union had to be suspended. Cf late the Canton-Hong Kong traffic has been resumed, and our workmen in Hong Kong, seeing that in the absence of responsible officials the management of the Union had relaxed control somewhat, were all of the opinion that

in case

of any trouble they would feel the loss of such

123, a kind mother to procure redress for them. But our Union was made up of very numerous members of different associa- tions, and it was very inconvenient to convene a general meeting of them all, so for the sake of convenience the

election