TNAG-0230-FCO40-266-Conditions-of-employment-of-labour-force-in-Hong-Kong-1970 — Page 125

PRESIDENT:

JOHN & NEWTON

VICE-PRESIDENT:

K. BUSCHMANN

Kr. R. Boxall,

pvxillstars due Inchistrios

kiffement

Internationale “Textil-

Internationella Textil- och Beklädnadsarbetarefederationen

INTERNATIONAL TEXTILE AND 6 MAR 29

GARMENT WORKERS' FEDERATION

120 BAKER STREET, LONDON, W.1

GENERAL SECRETARY: J. GREENHALGH

to whom all communications should be addressed

Principal Information Officer, Hong Kong Government Office, 54, Pall Mall,

LONDON. S.W.1.

81-935 1745

TELEGRAM ADDRESS:

WORKINTEX, London, March 3rd 1970.

Your Ref. 16/100CD. Pt. III

Dear Mr. Boxall,

I beg to acknowledge your letter of February 25th 1970, im which you request me to send you a copy of the text of any statement issued by above International Federation, which lead to recent press reports cemcerning introduction of night work for women in Hong Kong, and probable action te remedy

situation.

These press reports were the result of a telephone message to

an agency, and the statements then made were based entirely en press cuttings which we received from Hong Kong, with the addition of a quote from a confidential neuroe known to Mr. Hetherington, but about which I am not at liberty to speak.

I have read Mr. Hetherington's statement to the Hong Kong press

T.

with great interest, and find it difficult to reconcile what he says with the actual position. For instance, his comment on the employment on child labour cannot be reconciled with a statement made by Mr. D.R. Boy, the Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions in Hong Kong, when, according to a report in the Hong Kong Star, dated December 29th 1969, he appealed for 'tougher' action against factory owners who disregard the law governing child labour. Also in the Hong Kong Standard of February 17th 1970, it was stated that the Labour Department concedes that one in four, that is 3,600 out of the colony's 14,400 industrial firms are guilty of hiring child labour.

Further comment is superfluous.

Yours faithfully,

Shreenhalgh.

General Secretary.