TNAG-0231-FCO40-267-Conditions-of-employment-of-labour-force-in-Hong-Kong-1970 — Page 17

Confidential

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Non-Communist Trade Uniona

It is depressing that the responsible section of the Trade Union movement has made so little headway. I suppose there are still no signs of more effective leadership emerging ?

Communist Trade Unions

We agree that the expansion of these Unions is most likely to be curbed by improved labour conditions and by the provision of better social services generally.

By way of conclusion, I think I should just mention that when Mr. Gibson saw Mr. Royle recently nothing new came up.

We still think that Mr. Gibson is a person worth cul- tivating. In his own way he seems to have the interests of Hong Kong at heart - and he is not a seeker after publicity.

E. 0. Laird}

Confidential