CO129-569-1 New Territories Unemployed Seamen's Association- petition asking for preference to be given to members when... 21-11-1938 - 27-1-1939 — Page 17

3

-

17

4.

There is no doubt that unemployment among

New Territories seamen has in the past made itself

felt for various reasons. Some companies prefer to

employ lascars, who appear to be less prone to indulge

in smuggling activities than the Chinese. Moreover

shipping on the China coast is largely dominated by

the Canton Chinese Seamen's Union, whose membership

is drawn more from China than from Hong Kong; and in

their own interests coastal shipping companies find

it inexpedient to antagonize this union by employing

many non-members. American shipping companies have

also caused some falling off in the demand for

Chinese seamen by replacing them with United States

citizens. In spite of this, however, recent

enquiries in the main centres of the seafaring

population of this Colony reveal that the employment

of Hong Kong born seamen has improved very

considerably since last year, and the problem has

in turn become overshadowed by that of the fishing

people, who are now unable to operate with safety

outside British waters. Efforts are being made by

the Harbour Office to employ suitable seamen from

the New Territories wherever possible on government

launches, and similar action by the local naval

authorities would also help to alleviate the

situation in this respect.

5.

My considered view is on the whole that

these small local seamen's recruiting associations

are of no great benefit to the Colony, that the

intervention of Government on their behalf as