2600027
C.S. 20 A
From the Governor, Hong Kong
To the Secretary of State for the Colonies
Repeated to:
Repeated to:-
Date........
SAVINGRAM CONFIDENTIAL
No.
No.
No.
My Reference......
2
Your Reference....
As you will see from the Explanatory Memorandum, the purpose of the Bill is three-fold, viz., to remove any doubts as to whether a strike or lock-out is illegal by empowering the Governor-in-Council to declare a strike or lock-out illegal for the purpose of the Ordinance, to make it an offence to take part in an illegal strike or lock-out and to make the Ordinance permanent. Various other amendments have been considered, including some changes to Section 5, but these were rejected in an effort to minimise the changes to the existing Ordinance in the hope that little public reaction. will thus be engendered. The Ordinance itself has never been invoked and even with the proposed amendments it is difficult to conceive of circumstances in which it might be of actual practical value in view of the difficulties of enforcement which, would involve the arrest and prosecution of large numbers of striking workmen. However, it is felt that, as amended, it might have some deterrent effect and therefore, provided you agree, I think that it should be part of our permanent legislation.
CONFIDENTIAL
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