XN000022-1977-09-12 — Page 13

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1977

WORK OF LABOUR DEPARTMENT OUTLINED

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THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT IS NOT A DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT, COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR. PETER WILLIAMS, SAID IN A TALK GIVEN TO THE HONG KONG MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION THIS (MONDAY) EVENING.

MR.

WILLIAMS GAVE A BROAD OUTLINE OF THE WORK OF HIS DEPARTMENT AND DESCRIBED HIMSELF AS THE PRINCIPAL ADVISER TO THE GOVERNMENT ON LABOUR MATTERS.

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HE SAID THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT WAS ONLY INDIRECTLY CONCERNED WITH EMPLOYMENT POLICIES WHICH IN HONG KONG WERE RELATED CLOSELY TO ECONOMIC POLICIES.

MR. WILLIAMS ALSO CORRECTED A PUBLIC MISCONCEPTION THAT THE DEPARTMENT WAS STILL INVOLVED IN COLLECTING STATISTICS.

HE SAID: ALL LABOUR EMPLOYMENT STATISTICS ARE COLLECTED AND PUBLISHED BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT TO WHICH SOME YEARS AGO WAS TRANSFERRED THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S STATISTICAL UNIT.

+THIS WAS DONE TO ACHIEVE GREATER EFFICIENCY, AND BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE CONSIDERED THAT SUCH A TASK SHOULD NOT BE CARRIED OUT BY A DEPARTMENT WITH RESPONSIBILITIES FOR ENFORCING LEGISLATION.+

THE COMMISSIONER ALSO DESCRIBED EACH OF THE 14 SERVICES OR UNITS OF HIS DEPARTMENT.

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