TNAG-0125-FCO40-161-Labour-force-working-conditions-1969 — Page 12

Mr. H.H. Stewart.

Hong Kong Department.

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King Charles St. Eminule

Hong Kong Night Work for Women.

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I have already sent forward a note to Mr. W.S. Carter about the problem of night work for women in Hong Kong arising from discussions with the Governor on 24 November. I have not heard anything since, and as I am leaving for Lagos tonight and will not be back in the office before 18 December, I think it would be as well if I referred now to the Governor's agreement to a visit to Hong Kong by an experienced senior Factory Inspector from this country to examine the existing arrangements there and report. As I mentioned at the meeting, I found the factory inspection side of the Department of Labour in an unsatisfactory state. The senior ex- patriates have UK Factory Department experience, but at a low level. Moreover, much of the time of the Factory Department seems to be devoted to inspections of flatted factories and the small factories which are continually being developed in residential blocks of flats where the fire risk also brings in the Fire Department. I gained the impression that rather more than half the time of the Factory Inspectorate is involved in this kind of exercise so that the general attention given to the inspection of the larger establishments leaves a lot to be desired. Moreover, the administrative arrangements are not good. The head of the Factory Section reports through a somewhat disgruntled Chinese officer without technical experience. He in turn reports to the Deputy Commissioner of Labour and Commissioner of Labour, both of whom are again without specialist knowledge of factory inspection.

2.

In my view, the questions that need to be answered are these:-

(a) Is the staffing and training of the Factory

Department adequate for its role in a highly industrialised community using advanced techniques?

(b)

Are the administrative arrangements for the oversight and direction of factory inspection adequate?

(c) How effective are the arrangements for keeping up to date with new knowledge, e.g. about carcinoma producing chemicals and ionising radiations?

/(a)