CO129-623-1 Rubber Industry- report and correspondence on the labour situation 1-4-1950 - 31-1-1951 — Page 14

53508/1/51

Dear

is Claud,

A

12

15 Victoria Street,

London 5.W.1.

January, 1951.

22 JAN 1951

You may remember that last November you handed me a copy of a report by the General Secretary of the Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union Council on the subject of the Fung Keong Rubber Factory. Some enquiries have now been made locally about the allegations which this report contained and you will be glad to know that they are completely unfounded. At the risk of boring you with a lot of detail I am giving you below a full account of the true situation.

The Fung Keong Rubber Manufactory Limited is a limited liability company, with factories in Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur. The Managing Director of the Company lives in Malaya. The Fung Keong factory in Hong Kong which has been established about 30 years, during which time it has never been known to close down, even temporarily, is in charge of a General Manager and a Factory Manager. The factory suffered considerable damage during the war years and after Hong Kong was liberated, much réhabilitation work had to be carried out. This work was completed in 1949. Up to March 1950 the factory was employing between 1,500 to 1,600 persons, but between March and August this number was reduced to between 1,100 to 1,200. It is estimated that 80% of the workers are employed on a piece work basis and the remainder on a daily wage basis. No workers are employed on monthly terms.

The factory has always been noted for the high standard of its products and for its businesslike methods.

W. HOOD ESQ .

Wage