CONFIDENTIAL
November, 1958
January, 1959
June, 1959
July, 1959
August, 1959
November, 1959
January, 1960
July, 1960
October, 1960
regulation under the Factories Ordinance and that there were further difficulties in relation to daily paid and piece-rate workers. Gave assurance that urgent consideration would be given to problem with a view to making necessary legislative provision by way of a stop-gap Ordinance which would be repealed upon enactment of proposed Employment. Bill. Date could not be forecast.
In introducing the amending regul tiens in Begislative Council the Commissioner of Labour said:
....Government has therefore decided that present regulations which relate to industrial employment only should be introduced as the first step in the imple- mentation of its policy to raise minimum standards of employment generally....the new regulations will not bring hours of work for women and young persons in Hong Kong completely into line with internationally accepted standards and....positive advances will have to be made in due course."
New regulations with provisions as outlined in Miss Ogilvie's recommendations came into force. Commissioner of Labour empowered to extend maximum to 66 hours for six months ending 30th June as transitional provision.
Transitional period ended and enforcement measures tightened.
Governor informed Secretary of State that final draft text of the Industrial Employment (Holidays with Pay, Sick Leave and Maternity Leave) Bill was now in its final stages.
Governor sought relaxation of regulations governing meal breaks i brder to facilitate introduction of 8-hour shifts in spinning and weaving mills.
(Concession conceded on understanding that it should be seen as part of next step towards general reduction of hours and Colonial Office suggested that the full introduction of a 54-hour week by
(anuary 1961 should be the aim.
Governor proposed meal break concession should be limited to peridd up to July 1961 and that this should also be the target dato for general reduction to 9 hours per day.
Secretary of State accepted Governor'e proposals on condition that transaction was to be clearly on this footing.
Governor reaffirmed intention regarding 9 hour day but considered any firm public commitment would be dangerous but, on the grounds that the change-over to the T-shirt Working had been much speedier than expected there was not after all any necessity for a concession over meal breaks,
Semi-official letter from the Governor to Mr. W.I.J. Wallace intimated inevitable delay in introduction of stop-gap legislation as a result of employer opposition.
....
The Governor in a further s.o. letter to Mr. Wallace revoked his intention to reduce the working hours of women to 9 per day by July 1961 on the grounds that it would not be practicable to introduce this measure within six months of the stop-gap legislation relating to maternity benefits, sick leave, dtc., and proposed to review the prospects towards the end of the year.
Lord Perth, Minister of State, during a visit to Hong Hong obtained assurance that fringe benefits legislation (excluding maternity benefits) could be enacted by February 1961 and that further legislation qn boura pf work squld be enacted in the autumn of 1961 to become effective in 1962.
CONFIDENTIAL
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