TNAG-0230-FCO40-266-Conditions-of-employment-of-labour-force-in-Hong-Kong-1970 — Page 17

Sir- refer to a leiter from Mr J. Greenhalgh on labour conditions in Hong- kong (SCM Post March 11).

Your correspondent quotes an unspecified source which inaintained that the Labour Department acknowledges that 3,600, or about one quarter of a total of 14,400 factories, illegally employ children. These figures did not originate in this depart- ment and I have no evidence to support the calculation made by others.

*

W23

Following a special cam- paign against child labour which

Ingunted in August last year, I confirmed publicly that children suspected of being under the age of 14 years had been found in 415 out of 1,708 premises specially selected for investigation. Not all the BUSpecta were confrmed as under age but summonses were subsequently taken out against 288 employers.

Recently, a further cam- paign was carried out in an area where it was believed that the illegal employment of children was continuing. 797 factories were chosen for inspection and, in 109 of these, 19? children, suspected of being under age, were found

R. M, HETHERINGTON, Commissioner of Labour,

Factories

SCMP

Baite still

employ children

Despite heavier penalties Imposed by the courts од factory proprietors found Lality of employing children Under 14. a. special cam- ya:gn recently completed by the Labour Department has confirmed that some mauage- ments continue to defy the lat and employ children illegally.

A total of 707 factories of different sizes in the Tal Koki Tsul area were selected for Inspection on February 34, and 197 children, suspected

at

being under age, were found to be employed in 109 factories, said 2 Labour spokesman yesterday.

Two days later, a leçonú visit to these :09 factories disclosed that 193 children, belleved to

be

under 14. were at work in 85 premises. On March 5, a third visit was paid to the 65 factories considered to be breaking the law. Thirty were found to be still employing 58 underage children.

"The age of each suspect. eg' child will first be veribed, and every proprietor of a factory employing children under 14 will be prosecuted,” the spokesman said convicted ace Mable to a fine ef $3,000 for each eïenc

شمالة

The spokesman thought i Waly the preceduri in this campaiga vaid te followed in butyre and smalk campaigns would be carried ost regularly.