XN000022-1976-12-22 — Page 4

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1976

MR. CHEN SAID IF THE REGULATIONS WERE APPROVED, IT WOULD BE CONSIDERED THAT HONG KONG'S 17-YEAR-OLDS WERE INCAPABLE OF THINKING AND DECIDING FOR THEMSELVES EVEN TO WORK A COUPLE OF HOURS OVERTIME IF THEY WANTED TO.

18.

HE POINTED OUT THAT IN UNITED KINGDOM, THE AGE OF MAJORITY IS

HE ASKED WHETHER YOUNG PERSONS' FEELINGS AND REACTIONS HAD BEEN GUAGED, AND IF NOT, +1 WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE DO BEFORE A DECISION IS TAKEN ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE.+

REGARDING RESTRICTIONS ON OVERTIME WORK FOR ADULT WOMEN, HE SAID: IN THIS DAY AND AGE WHEN THERE IS EVERY EFFORT MADE TO BRING ABOUT EQUALITY OF SEX IN EMPLOYMENT, IT LOOKS A LITTLE ODD THAT THE LAW SHOULD APPEAR TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST FEMALE WORKERS.+ MR. LEUNG WHO BACKED THE MOTION SAID HUMAN LABOUR, UNLIKE MACHINERY, SHOULD NOT BE EXPLOITED, PARTICULARLY WITH THE USE OF MONEY AS BAIT.

+INTERMITTENT OVERTIME WORK FOR YOUNG PERSONS IS DISRUPTIVE TO THEIR EVENING STUDIES, AND MAY RETARD THEIR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OWING TO LACK OF REST, WHICH IS VITAL FOR YOUNG PERSONS IN THEIR FORMATIVE YEARS,+ HE ADDED,

MR. HU SAID THE AMENDING REGULATIONS NOW UNDER DEBATE REPRESENTED A MUCH NEEDED IMPROVEMENT TO THE CONDITIONS OF WORK FOR YOUNG PERSONS AGED 16 AND 17 IN THE LABOUR FORCE WITHOUT, IN HIS VIEW, HAMPERING HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC VIABILITY,

REV. MCGOVERN, WHO WAS ONE OF THE SEVEN COUNCILLORS TO SUPPORT THE MOTION, SAID YOUNG PEOPLE UNDER 18 WERE NOT YET FULLY GROWN PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY AND THAT THEY NEEDED MORE TIME FOR RECREATION AND EXERCISE IF THEY WERE TO REMAIN HEALTHY.

HE SAID YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE MORE TIME TO DO OTHER THINGS AFTER NORMAL WORK ING TIME SUCH AS GOING TO EVENING SCHOOLS,

+PERHAPS EVEN A BIGGER CONSIDERATION IS THE QUESTION OF THEIR FAMILY LIFE, HE SAID, *THEIR CROWDED HOMES MAY NOT BE THE MOST ATTRACTIVE PLACE IN THE WORLD, BUT IN OUR CULTURE THEIR FAMILY IS A MOST VITAL STABILISING FACTOR IN THEIR LIVES,

HE SAID THAT IN TOO MANY CASES THERE WAS IN FACT NO FREEDOM OF CHOICE AND THAT HE HAD BEEN APPROACHED BY YOUNG PERSONS COMPLAIN- ING THAT THEIR EMPLOYERS WOULD NOT RELEASE THEM FROM OVERTIME WORK.

HE POINTED OUT THAT ACCORDING TO THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S LATEST ANNUAL REPORT, SOME 4,900 PROSECUTIONS HAD BEEN TAKEN AGAINST EMPLOYERS AND OF THAT OVER 4,100 WERE FOR OFFENCES AGAINST WOMEN AND YOUNG PERSONS.

/IN SUMMING