CONFIDENTIAL
4. The Governor spoke about labour courts, a proposed innovation in which he was keenly interested. Disputants in these courts would not be legally represented so that no costs would fall on the parties, and provided the courts confined themselves to specific claims as opposed to generalised labour complaints, he was convinced they would serve a useful purpose. He indicated that much detailed thinking remained to be done before legislation could be brought forward.
5.
In connection with the continuing necessity to keep legislation in labour matters under review the Governor was asked whether he intended to try to retain the services of Mr. Goodwin. He agreed to consider whether any attractive offer could be made such as might persuade Mr. Goodwin to accept a further period of scrvice in Hong Kong; his impression had been that Mr. Goodwin was not looking for further employment in Hong Kong. The Overseas Labour Adviser thought that in accepting an appointment in the ODM, Mr. Goodwin was in some measure concerned with the security of tenure this represented and that if the Hong Kong Government wanted to retain his services this would have to be considered in any offers made
to him.
5. The Governor said that he had given some thought to the appointment of a Chinese Administrative Officer (Mr. F.K. Li) as the next Commissioner of Labour. His own preference would be to professionalisc the Department so that the Administrative Officers at present serving in it could then be released. Unfortunately the Department lacked professional officers of the requisite calibre. He felt that this was a step that might now be taken provided he had professional candidates who com- bined the necessary awareness and understanding of the political considerations.
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CONFIDENTIAL
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