XN000022-1980-06-25 — Page 24

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 1980

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MR HENDERSON SAID THE AMENDMENTS SOUGHT TO LIMIT THE PERIOD DURING WHICH REGISTERED APPRENTICES AGED BELOW 18 YEARS COULD BE EMPLOYED TO BETWEEN 7 AM AND 7 PM. THE LIMITATION WOULD APPLY EVEN

F OVERTIME WAS WORKED.

TOGETHER, THE REGULATIONS WOULD EFFECTIVELY ENSURE THAT YOUNG APPRENTICES BELOW THE AGE OF 18 YEARS WOULD HAVE A NIGHT REST

• OF 12 CONSECUTIVE HOURS IN LINE WITH INTERNATIONAL LABOUR CONVENTION NO 90.

IN ADDITION, THE AMENDMENTS WOULD ALLOW REGISTERED APPRENTICES OF 16 YEARS AND ABOVE TO WORK UP TO 10 HOURS IN ANY DAY BETWEEN 7 AM AND 7 PM SUCH THAT THE HOURS WORKED IN EXCESS OF EIGHT HOURS WOULD NOT BE COUNTED AS OVERTIME EMPLOYMENT, PROVIDED THAT THE TOTAL HOURS WORKED IN ANY WEEK DID NOT EXCEED 48.

THE NEW REGULATIONS WOULD PROVIDE A REGISTERED APPRENTICE WITH AN EXTRA REST DAY IN ANY WEEK WHICH CONTAINED A STATUTORY HOLIDAY. THESE PROVISIONS ALREADY EXISTED IN THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE AND APPLIED TO YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT REGISTERED APPRENTICES, SAID HR HENDERSON.

MR HENDERSON PROPOSED THAT THE REGULATIONS BE BROUGHT INTO OPERATION ON SEPTEMBER 1, 1980 TO GIVE EMPLOYERS AND APPRENTICES ADEQUATE NOTICE OF THE CHANGES.

CROWD CONTROL AT OUT-DOOR CONCERTS

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THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAS DECIDED NOT TO ORGANISE PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT EVENTS WHICH ARE LIKELY TO DRAW LARGE AUDIENCES AT PLACES SUCH AS KOWLOON PARK WHERE PROPER ADMISSION CONTROL IS IMPRACTICABLE, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON LEWIS DAVIES SAID TODAY.

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON ANDREW SO IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR DAVIES SAID FACILITIES DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE LARGE NUMBERS OF SPECTATORS, SUCH AS HONG KONG STADIUM AND THE MONG KOK STADIUM WOULD BE USED INSTEAD.

TWO OTHER MEASURES TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE OF INCIDENTS SIMILAR TO THE ONE AT KOWLOON PARK ON JUNE 8 HAVE ALSO BEEN TAKEN.

THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT WILL EXERCISE CAREFUL AND APPROPRIATE CONTROL OF PRE-EVENT PROMOTION AND PUBLICITY TO AVOID DRAWING EXCESSIVELY LARGE CROWDS.

+THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE HAS ADVISED POLICE DISTRICT AND DIVISIONAL COMMANDERS TO LIAISE MORE CLOSELY WITH THE DEPARTMENT IN FUTURE SO AS TO ENSURE A SUFFICIENT POLICE PRESENCE AT ALL URBAN COUNCIL PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT EVENTS, MR DAVIES ADDED.

/HE POINTED

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