SPEAKING NOTES
HOURS OF WORK FOR WOMEN AND YOUNG PERSONS.
The question of hours of work for women anu young persons in
Hong Kong has been the subject both of Questions in the House and
of letters sent to me by Members of Parliament and by Trade
Unionists. There is no time to go over all the ground in detail
so I will attempt to summarise the position as briefly as I can.
2. Proposals to amend the existing legislation,which permita
a 10 hour day to be worked by women and young persons, have received
preliminary consideration by the "xecutive Council in Hong Kong and
will be put to the Lebour Advisory Board on the 11th May. Thereafter,
it will be necessary to consult certain interested bodies not
represented on the Board and to refer the proposals back to the
Txecutive Council for further consideration. The enact ont of these
proposals would give statutory backing to an 8-hour day in those
industries where an 8-hour day is alrey the practice and thereafter
it will be the aim to extend the application of the legislation to
other industries when the time is ripe.
3.
I am aware of the criticiams which have been maŭs of the liong
Kong Government's delay in amending its legislation on this subject
and the seemingly enûless consultations which it had undertaken,
I
can quite understand why these criticisms have arisen but they do
less than Justice to that Goverment which is attempting to introduce
a reform which is not only strongly opposed by employers but also
commands no wide support in the rest of the community. This is a
difficult situation for any Government and I think it is right - and
in accordance with British practice -- that every effort should be made
to gain at least tacit ccceptance, if not support, for new legislation
of this nature before it is introduced. Indeed the effectiveness
of social legislation of the kind propose can be considerably reduced
if the community as a whole are not willing to accept it and to make
/it
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