TNAG-0231-FCO40-267-Conditions-of-employment-of-labour-force-in-Hong-Kong-1970 — Page 147

PERSIDENT:

JOHN E. NEWTON

VICH-FRERIDENT:

K. BUSCHMANN

•

3. R. Boxall,

we dro Indusaim

Chebillament

Internationals

wad

Internationcila Textíl- och Eeklädnadsarbetarcfederation.on

INTERNATIONAL TEXTILE AND GARMENT WORKERS' FEDERATION

120 BAKER STREET, LONDON, WA

GENERAL SECRETARY: J. GREENHALGH

to whom all communications should be såûreased

rincipal Information Officer,

ng Kong Government Office,

1, Pall Mall,

DON. S.W.1.

K:2?!

Please P.A.

1212/4/20

81-935 7773

TEZDARAJA ARCORSAI

WORKINTEX, Lemien, W.1 March 3rd 1970.

Your Eaf. 16/100SD. Pt. III

Dear Mr. Doxall,

I beg to acknowledge your letter of February 25th 1970, in hich you request me to send you a copy of the text of any statomont iscuci 17. bove International Federation, which lead to recent prosa reperto claperning tha introduction of night work for women in Hong Kong, and probable cotica to zemody

situation.

These press reports were the result of a tolopheae Esoonga to

za agency, and the statements then made wore based entirely en pross cuttings which/ so received from Hong Kong, with the addition of a quote frea a confidential st

mown to Mr. Hetherington, but about which I am not at liberty to opock.

I have read Mr. Hetheringtca's statement to the Heng Keng preas with great interest, and find it difficult to reconcile what he says with the catuen

position. For instance, his comment on the employment on child labour cannot bo

reconciled with a statement made by Mr. D.R. Boy, the Deputy Director of Public

rosecutions in Hong Kong, when, according to a report in the Hong Kong Stax, Cated December 29th 1969, he appealed for 'tougher' action against factory owners who dictme 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 3,000 cat

of the colony's 14,400 industrial firms are guilty of hiring child labour.

Further comment is superfluous.

*

}

Yourg faith ally,

Freendal

Cénoral Secretary.