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on
being mentioned so that they would not fear reprisals by employers.
307. I appreciate fully that any arrangement on these lines would be fairly expensive to the Government insofar as inspectorate staff is concerned, but the advantages, to the less fortunate workers and the improvement in indus- trial relations in the industry which would result from the unfformity of wage rates thus achieved would more than off set the cost.
388.
I recommend that no action to enforce a collective agreement in this industry be taken until the result of the Trade Board experiment in the enamel ware section of the metal industries has been ascertained.
389.
(ii) COTTON SPINNING MILLS.
The cotton spinning mills are the latest and most modern addition to the Colony's industries and those most recently established are most modern and up to date. importance of these mills is seen from the number of em-
The ployees. There are 22 cotton and silk spinning factories registered employing 7.815 workers. In addition there are numerous small undertakings operating with treadle machines or even hand-operated equipment.
390.
In
Wage rates in the industry are very variable. the smallest undertakings as little as $1.50 a day is paid and $2 a day may be said to be a fair average, while in the most modern mills the average wage rate is over 5 a day plus all food and lodgings and three months' full pay and a further three months' half pay in the event of sick-
ness.
391. The small undertakings are numerous and it would take an army of inspectors to exercise adequate super- vision over them.
392. Average working hours appear to be 10 per day and most of the modern mills are working only a six day week as compared with seven in nearly all the smaller places.
593. Men get exactly the same pay as the women and· piece work rates are said to be impracticable in the larger mills on actual spinning, but packing work is so remunerated. The girl packers at the Nanyang Cotton Mill were averaging $7 a day less $1,50 for food and lodging.
394.
Despite high wage rates the labour turnover in the larger establishments is regarded as high. In so rar as the women are concerned, they often marry as soon as they have saved an adequate dowery. The average length of employment of males is said to be about three years and this is attributed partly to a desire on the part of the workers for a change but mainly because, after three years, most of them have saved up sufficient money to start in some business of their own. Spurred on no doubt by the prospect of a better tomorrow many of them are responsible for the numerous small hand operated mills which abound. The average Chinese is said to prefer to work on his own account for very long hours rather than
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