TNAG-0231-FCO40-267-Conditions-of-employment-of-labour-force-in-Hong-Kong-1970 — Page 20

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Friday, October 9, 1970

PROGRESS ON LABOUR COURTS

Policy On Child Labour

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Mr. R.M. Hotherington, Commissioner of Labour, said today the

ostablishment of labour courts would provide yet another means for resolving

labour-management problems.

He told the Legislative Council the main outlines of such a schomo

had been preparod, a docision in principle would be takon in the next fow

and there wore good prospects of establishing the first court

wooks

some time next year.

It was the present intention to appoint a permanent member of the

judiciary as the labour court's prosiding officer and not from a panel of

laymon .

But he agreed the presiding officer should be conversant with

commercial and industrial matters and should command the respect of both

cployees and employers.

The Government would continue to provide the framework and encourago

tho adoption of practices that could facilitato botter industrial relations.

In this connection, the Trade Union Registration Ordinance offered the

opportunity for orderly establishmont of trade unions and of employers' associations,

but only about oight per cont of the working population wore paid-up menbors

of rogistorod trade unions.

To help the romaining 92 per cent, Mr. Hothorington said the Labour

Department had tried to promote the establishment of joint consultative

committoos in the last two or throo yars, with limited success.

/Tho department