CO129-623-1 Rubber Industry- report and correspondence on the labour situation 1-4-1950 - 31-1-1951 — Page 55

53508/1/50

C.R.E.3872/50

Colonial Office,

Sanctuary Buildings, Great Smith Street,

London 3.7.1.

2

54

17th May, 1950

Dear Miss Dennehy,

Since receiving your letter of the

17th April about labour conditions in the rubber footwear industry in Hong Kong wo have had a detailed search and have succeeded in finding some information which I trust will sufficiently answer your cuestions (a), (b), (c) and (d) without our having to trouble the Governor on the matter.

With regard to your question (a), it is somewhat difficult to decide whether an industry is "sweated" or not unless one has a fairly accurate definition of what the term means; certainly it would have widely different meanings in Hong Kong and, for example, this country. I take it that the mere fact that wage rates are lower in Hong Kong than in this country would not be regarded as evidence of sweating. Assuming that the term means a trade or industry or a brunch of any trade or industry where the rate of wages prevailing is exceptionally low as compared with that in other employments and on which no person can reasonably be expected to subeist, we can I think say that the rubber footwear industry in Hong Kong is not aveated. In this connection I enclose for your information a table showing wage rates in the industry for the year ended 31.3.49 (conditions have not changed a great deal since then) and also a

KISS H.W. DENNEHY

/Parliamentary