TNAG-0296-FCO40-332-Legislation-for-registration-of-trade-unions-in-Hong-Kong-1972 — Page 67

labour attache service;

and related questions."

Victor Feather first wrote to the Secretary of State

on 24 September 1970 saying that he had received

information from Hong Kong about a Bill to amend

the Trade Union Registration Ordinance.

The letter

went on to say that a preliminary study of the

proposed amendments suggested that some of them

may prove to be unduly restrictive"; the hope was

expressed that no action would be taken before there

had been time for proper study and si discussion of

these proposals.

The matter subsequently came up

for discussion at a meeting of the OLCC on 30 October 1970

where, in view of the detail and scope of the TUC's

criticisms, it was proposed that a separate meeting

be held with the TUC to go into their complaints in

detail. This was the meeting of 5 January 1971.

The discussions took place, therefore, under the

umbrella of an official Ministerial Committee.

hope this explanation allays your doubts.

I

May I take this opportunity of asking that a reply

now be sent to the Note handed by Mr Peter C K Chan

to Mr Royle at his meeting with the Members of the

Urban Council during his visit to Hong K ng last

October. A copy of that note is enclosed. The

reply should, we suggest, take thefollowing form

"I understand that when Mr Royle met the Members of

the Urban Council during his visit to Hong Kong last

October you handed him a note about the Trade Union

Registration (Amendment) Bill.

Now that the Bill has been published prior to

introduction into thd Legislative Council, Mr Royle

has asked me to say that he hopes you will agree

that the proposed new legislation will contribute

2

-

Kattached

that the amendments

made to the Bill

go a long way to meeting your objections

and

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