the necessary Statutory Instruments are now being
printed and the matter should soon be concluded.
So
far as the Consular Relations Bill is concerned, I
Consular Commented at length in
gather that Russell of our r/Department/ wrote a long- letter to Maddockat the beginning of this month.
And
although you (Amendment) Bill as long ago as last November
November, George
sent us your Illegal Strikes and Lockouts
berl
Foggon, the Overseas Labour Adviser, has since visited
Hong Kong and has discussed with your Labour Department
the difficulties presented by the proposed legislation.
The latest communication on this subject is our tele-
gram No. 315 of 12 May.
As regards the Extension of Merchant Shipping
(Load Lines) Act 1967, this has involved protracted
consultations with the Board of Trade and it is proving
difficult to reach agreement with them. The Department
concerned have expressed their regret for failing to
send an interim reply to Hong Kong, but they cannot
hold out any hope that an early conclusion will be
reached in this matter.
bor2 "L
So far as the Application of Copyright Act 1956,
Bill and the Public Order (Amendment) Bill, are concerne
both these subjects have strong political implications
which require consideration at Ministerial level.
In
has raised issues of policy which have been the addition, the Copyright Act/is in itself a highly com of protracted correspondence with the Secretariat, plex-subject which needs very careful studying if -
Say 100
mistakes are to be avoided. I cannot foresee how long
it will be before you receive a reply on this particu-
undo stand
lar matter, but I am told that a Saving Despatch deal-
ing with the Public Order (Amendment) Bill is expected
to issue within the next week or two.
The truth of the matter is that none of the issues
which you mention in your letter is straightforward:
fairly they are all either highly complex in themselves, both
2
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