CO129-626-3 Labour Department- report to Labour Commissioner 1-3-1951 - 30-6-1952 — Page 85

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230

On the general question of wages and earnings, it has been of interest to observe the high proportion of workers, including obvious labourers, who appear to travel first class on the ferry service between Hong Kong and Kowloon in preference to almost equivalent accommodation at half the price (20 cents as compared with 10 cents). Sports gatherings of all kinds are well patronised and the crowds of workers who attend the frequent race meetings have to be seen to be believed. The numerous cinemas are crowded nightly and to get even the most expensive seats it is necessary to book in advance. All this seems to indicate that the average worker has an income margin well above that needed for the reason- able maintenance of himself and his family.

231.

On the other hand there is much poverty and the effective spending power of many workers is seriously depleted as a result of high rentals resulting from the acute housing shortage. This is one of Hong Kong's main social problems and is the cause of the all too rapid development of squatter settlements which are so difficult to

remove.

XII. HOURS OF WORK.

232.

There is no legislation governing the hours of work of workers other than women and young persons... European employers generally have fixed working hours for their workers which conform to Western standards, but workers employed in the majority of Chinese owned establishments appear to work cheerfully on a basis of hours which seems to have been hallowed by custom One would have expected that the introduction of Western standards of working hours by European hed or managed establishments to have had some effect on the hours of work in Chinese-owned places of employment. Generally, however, this has not been the case although there is said to be a gradual movement towards a six-day-week.

233.

In 1940 steps were taken by the Government to secure the closing of most retail shops at 8 p.m. by the introduction of the Shops (Hours of Closing) Ordinance, No. 5 of 1940, This was, it appears, unpopular legislation and evasion in said to have been extremely difficult to check This Ordinance, although still on the Statute Book is, I understand, a dead letter and certainly it is not enforced.

234

Some retail shops in Hong Kong and Kowloon close at 5.30 pm, others not until 10, 30 p.m. or even 11 pm. In densely populated areas such as these, where serious over-crowding exists, there is little room in working class tenements for recreation other than possibly cards or mah jong. The great majority of Chinese, who are employed by Chinese employers, work long hours by Western standards but by no means long hours by Chinese Communist standards. When such workers have finish for the day they need and demand some relaxation. They thus spend a lot of time shop gazing, chatting with the shop assistants and gossiping generally in the streets which are brightly lit by neon signs and the lights of the open shops. Any substantial or sudden change in the present practice would, without doubt, be strongly resented by the majority of the population and by the shop- keepers concerned.

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235.

From the shop assistants' point of view there is something to be said for some reduction in working hours although it cannot be said that the majority are overworked, "One sees shop almistunts, in business hours, having their meals in the shops, reading newspapers' and chatting with friends who do not seem to be prospective customers. By no standards can they be said to be overworked although their hours of duty are long. Nearly all of them seem to be provided with chairs **... or stools on which to rest when they feel like it.