TNAG-0297-FCO40-333-Employment-of-women-at-night-in-industrial-undertakings-in-H-1971 — Page 17

CONFIDENTIAL

6. The latest telegram from Hong Kong (No 355) which was

despatched before the FCO reply agreeing the scheme was received,

claims that the delay had placed the Governor "in an extremely

difficult position". It also refers to the possibility of

Government being saddled with "an embarrassing moral liability

for compensating some employers who (because of the delay)

became forced to pay additional wages in lieu of notice".

Direct intervention by HMG is again mentioned and members of

Executive Council are said to have expressed astonishment at the

delay.

CONCLUSION

7. For good reason only ten days elapsed between the receipt

of Hong Kong's request to extend the scheme and FCO's reply in

agreement. It is clear that had the Hong Kong Government

attached so much importance to an early announcement, their

request should have been initiated before 11 May and that any

delay was occasioned, not by HMG, but by the slowness of the

Hong Kong Government Machine in deciding terms under which the

scheme should continue. Furthermore, although the need to give

industry adequate warning of any change is fully appreciated, it

is debatable whether Hong Kong's agitation is warranted when the

existing scheme is not due to expire until the end of June 1971.

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CONFIDENTIAL