CO129-556-14 Chinese Seamen's Union- activities 1-7-1936 - 16-2-1937 — Page 31

کو

29A

No. SECRET.

AIR MAIL.

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONG KONG,

9th November, 1936.

Sir,

5

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of

your secret (2) despatch of the 30th July, 1936, on the

subject of the Chinese Seamen's Union.

2.

The Chinese Seamen's Associated Union, to which

reference was made in the fifth enclosure to Sir William

355 Peel's secret despatch of the 9th April, 1935, has ceased

35355)

bozy Mandale Bennett (ad in 53551/40)

to exist, and there is now in the Colony no general

Association of Chinese Seamen. There are two important

Unions of stevedores and cargo workers, a mechanics' union

of dockyard workers and a lightermen's union. There is

also a union of seamen employed in the river steamers and

a guild of launch and motorboat owners, as well as a number of seamen's lodging houses and clubs which serve as

recruiting agencies and friendly societies. The affairs

of these associations appear to be conducted in a

satisfactory manner and they have, in recent years, shown no sign of engaging in political activities outside their

own proper spheres.

3.

The same, however, cannot be said of the Chinese Seamen's Union. In January, 1936, Leung Kwok Ying,

Chairman of the Canton Branch of the Union, approached the Secretary for Chinese Affairs through a well known resident

of Hong Kong with a somewhat remarkable proposal.

This

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

W.G.A. ORMSBY-GORE, P.C.,M.P.,

&C.,

&C

&C.