XN000022-1980-10-01 — Page 32

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1980

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THE SECOND PROVISO WAS THAT THE EXISTING CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AND CLOTHING INDUSTRY TRAINING SCHEMES SHOULD REMAIN INTACT WITH THEIR LEVIES IF THAT IS THEIR WISH.

LEGISLATION ON THE FINANCING OF THE INDUSTRIAL TRAINING SCHEMES WOULD BE INTRODUCED THIS SESSION.

SIR MURRAY SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HAD ADVISED ACCEPTANCE OF MOST OF THE RELEVANT RECOMMENDATIONS ON INDUSTRIAL TRAINING BY THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON DIVERSIFICATION, ONE DIFFICULT QUESTION WAS THE METHOD OF FINANCING.

+ THE TRAINING COUNCIL HAS ADVOCATED A GENERAL LEVY ON EXPORTS OR ON IMPORTS AND EXPORTS THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON DIVERSIFICATION RECOMMENDED THIS SHOULD BE A CHARGE ON GENERAL REVENUE, HE SAID.

SINCE THE ENACTMENT OF THE APPRENTICESHIP ORDINANCE IN 1976, HE HAD SPECIFIED 37 TRADES AS DESIGNATED TRADES WHICH RESULTED IN SOME 15 000 APPRENTICESHIP CONTRACTS BEING REGISTERED.

ON THE STATE OF INDUSTRIAL SAFETY IN HONG KONG, HE SAID, IT IS NOT SOMETHING WE ARE PROUD OF.+

BUT THERE WERE WELCOME SIGNS THAT EMPLOYERS AND WORKERS WERE BECOMING MORE CONSCIOUS OF THE NEED FOR INDUSTRIAL SAFETY.

A NUMBER OF EMPLOYERS' ASSOCIATIONS HAD BEEN CO-OPERATING MORE CLOSELY WITH THE GOVERNMENT ABOUT PREVENTIVE MEASURES. SOME WORKERS' ORGANISATIONS, HE ADDED, HAD ALSO BEEN INVOLVED IN PROMOTING INDUSTRIAL SAFETY.

+I HOPE THIS TREND WILL CONTINUE TO HELP TO REDUCE THE PRESENT UNACCEPTABLY HIGH NUMBER OF INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS, HE SAID.

ON OTHER LABOUR MATTERS, SIR MURRAY SAID A REPORT OF THE INTER-DEPARTMENTAL WORKING GROUP ON MATERNITY BENEFITS WAS CIRCULATED EARLIER THIS YEAR TO TRADE UNIONS, MAJOR EMPLOYERS' ASSOCIATIONS AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES.

MOST OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE WELL RECEIVED, HE SAID, AND AMENDING LEGISLATION WOULD BE INTRODUCED DURING THIS SESSION.

THE GOVERNOR SAID THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS ORDINANCE HAD BEEN AMENDED TO ALLOW REGULATIONS MADE UNDER IT TO PROVIDE FOR FINES UP TO $50 000.

HE ADDED THAT AMENDING REGULATIONS COVERING INCREASED PENALTIES WILL BE MADE BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR AND PUT TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL DURING THIS SESSION.

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