CO129-591-9 Policy directives 15-1-1945 - 15-1-1945 — Page 63

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LABOUR POLICY

This has been approved by Major Orde Browne and follows his suggestions as regards the establishment of a Labour department under a Controller of Labour assisted by an Advisory Committee representative of employers and workers working in close consultation with the immigration authorities.

Existing legislation of factories and workshops and international labour, conventions is to be strictly enforced and legislation for settling Workmen's Compensation, associations, machinery for settling collective disputes, and the fixing of minimum wages.

SOCIAL WELFARE

This follows the lines of the directive for Malaya already approved and has the approval of the Social Welfare department, and the section on the Census has been approved by Dr.Kuczynski.

MEDICAL AND HEALTH POLICY

This was approved by the Medical Adviser and follows the Malayan directive as far as possible.

The importance of opening a Medical School as soon as possible is stressed. Adequate facilities should be provided for the training of Nurses and Midwives, and for courses of instruction and training for Health Inspectors.

A Nutritional policy for the Colony is to be prepared,

Efforts should be made to conclude agreements with the Health Authorities in Canton and Macao for the institution of reciprocal quarantine measures to prevent the spread of disease.

The department is to co-operate fully in all measures which may be taken to ameliorate the lot of refugees and destitutes.

OPIUM

This is the long-term policy directive which has the approval of the War Office and the Foreign Office for Malaya, Hong Kong and Borneo.

POSTAL AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS

This was approved by Mr. Bi The first step is to restore fi which the re-institution of transit mail traffic should be undertaken.

who was present at our discussions. transit mail services, after

Telecommunications service should be operated in accordance with the Empire policy approved by H.M.G.

Government should retain the responsibility for operating the services mentioned in paragraph 3.

It is proposed that the Hong Kong Telephone Company will be assisted to restore the internal telephone communications, and the financial and other provisions of the Hong Kong Ordinances relating to the Telephone Company should be reconsidered in the light of conditions obtaining.

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