TO:
Lord Shepherd
SECRET
127.
13 October, 1967.
FROM:
Mr. G. Fo ggon
shows themed
bu t
This is an interim report on how I found things and may be modified as a result of meetings I am having today; I doubt very much whether it will be changed in any important respect.
Let me say straight away that I find the general picture extremely disappointing. It is perhaps not going too far to say that in top Government circles here there is no more than lip service being paid to the need for a more active policy towards labour conditions. The general attitude of we must go slowly" 'we musn't rock the boat "this isn't England you know" predominated throughout. I feel quite certain that whatever changes are made in the Labour Department and however the staff is struggling, progress will continue to be slow and I think inadequate in relation to Hong Kong unless there is a dramatic change in the point of view of those leaving the Colony. The will and desire to improve working conditions is just not there.
Turning to the specific problem of hours of work of women and young children, I find that some progress has been made but it is disappointing. What has been agreed with local
employers is a phased programme over six years to bring the hours of work from ten to eight per day i.e. a reduction of 20 minutes per annum ! I think symptomatic of the relationship between the Hong Kong Government and London is that in spite of a clear indication from the Commonwealth Office that we wanted a phased programme of two to three years with a reasonably sharp improvement in the first year, the six year programme has been entered into locally without any reference to London. Moreover, I suspect that there are elements in the Secretariat who consider even this modest programme to be
The hull revolutionary, the papers went up to the Secretariat on
3 August, 1967 and the Commissioner of Labour is still without any guidance as to whether this particular programme is acceptable nor is there any indication as an when it is likely
opposed even to be referred to the Executive Council.
this makes
It will be claimed that this is the best that can be done but if one looks back over the last ten years of promises, one can only say that the pace has been entirely, dictated by the Hong Kong manufacturer and merchant and resetariat.
done but that the
You will of course have your own views on the adequacy or otherwise of what the Hong Kong Government is proposing to do on hours of work but from my own knowledge of Mr. Thornton and other M.P.'s who have been pursuing this question in recent
RECEIVED IN ARCHIVES - ? 19 OCT 1707
2/...
HWB 18/6
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