TNAG-0420-FCO40-466-Registration-of-merchant-shipping-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 34

DURING THE TWO MONTHS IT IS ALSO INTENDED TO VISIT SHIPYARDS

AND EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS IN JAPAN AND POSSIBLY ELSEWHERE IN THE

FAR EAST TO EXAMINE WHAT WOULD BE INVOLVED IN EQUIPMENT

CERTIFICATION, CAN YOU GIVE ANY ADVICE HERE PLEASE? WHAT YARDS

SHOULD BE VISITED AND WHAT EQUIPMENT IS INVOLVED? WE HAVE SOUGHT

HELP ON THIS LAST POINT FROM THE UK CHAMBER OF SHIPPING BUT WITHOUT

MUCH RESULT, AND IT WOULD OBVIOUSLY FACILITATE MATTERS IF WE HAD

A FAIRLY CLEAR IDEA IN ADVANCE OR AT LEAST IMMEDIATELY ON THE

ARRIVAL OF THE TEAM AS TO WHAT HAD TO BE DONE, WE SHALL BE

ASKING THE EMBASSY IN TOKYO TO HELP ARRANGE THIS VISIT IN DUE COURSE. WOULD YOU OR A MEMBER OF YOUR STAFF BE ABLE TO ACCOMPANY

OUR SURVEYORS? DO YOU CONSIDER IT NECESSARY TO FOR VISITS TO BE MADE

TO OTHER MARITIME COUNTRIES IN THE AREA?

AS YOU WILL IMAGINE, WE HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF MEETINGS HERE WITH

·UNTONS AND AT A MEETING LAST WEEK FEARS WERE EXPRESSED ON THE

EFFECT OF HONG KONG LAW ON UNION ACTIVITY BY THE CREWS OF SHIPS

WHICH MAY BE REGISTERED IN HONG KONG. THE FOLLOWING PROVISION

FROM THE HONG KONG TRADE UNION REGISTRATION ORDINANCE PART IV 17(1)

WAS QUOTED:

QUOTE NO PERSON SHALL BE AN OFFICER OR A MEMBER OF A REGISTERED

TRADE UNION UNLESS HE IS ORDINARILY RESIDENT IN THE COLONY

HABITUALLY ENGAGED OR EMPLOYED IN A TRADE OCCUPATION OR

INDUSTRY WITH WHICH THE TRADE UNION IS DIRECTLY CONCERNED. UNQUOTE.

WE DO NOT KNOW THE REASON FOR THIS PROVISION, BUT IT IS CLEARLY

OFFENSIVE TO THE UNIONS HERE, AND WE SHOULD BE, GRATEFUL IF YOU

WOULD ARRANGE FOR THE NEED FOR ITS CONTINUANCE TO BE CAREFULLY

CONSIDERED. ONE WAY OUT OF THIS PROBLEM WHICH WOULD BE HELPFUL

IN OUR DEALING WITH OUR UNIONS WOULD BE TO CONFINE THE PROPOSED

RELAXATIONS OF BRITISH NATIONALITY REQUIREMENTS TO QUOTE HONG KONG

BELONGERS UNQUOTE. WOULD YOU BE GOOD ENOUGH TO CONSIDER THIS

POSSIBILITY ALSO. IF IT DID NOT CAUSE DIFFICULTICS FOR YOUR SHIPOWNERS, WE WOULD FAVOUR IT.

ONE FINAL MATTER, WE HAVE SEEN A REPORT IN LLOYD'S LIST THAT CAPTAIN J S ROE, GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE MERCHANT NAVY OFFICERS' CUILD, HONG KONG, IS COMING TO LONDON ON 1 OCTOBER FOR DISCUSSIONS

WITH HIS UK COLLEAGUES. WE FEEL THAT IT MIGHT BE USEFUL TO SEE

CAPTAIN ROE WHEN HE IS LONDON, AND WILL BE GLAD TO KNOW IF YOU AGREE, IF YOU DO, PERHAPS YOU MIGHT LET HIM KNOW THAT WE SHOULD

BE INTERESTED TO SEE HIM. DOUGLAS-HOME

FILE S

HKIOD

MTD

FED

PS TO MR ROYLE MR WHITEHEAD

- 2 -

COPIES TO:

MR L F STANDEN) DTI MR J ARCHER

SUNLEY HOUS)

PS TO MR HESELTINE HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE