TNAG-0450-FCO40-515-Reports-of-Overseas-Labour-Adviser-on-visits-from-UK-to-Hong-1974 — Page 15

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Mr Foggon! REF.

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The Governor's letter to me of 27 April covers a commentary from the Hong Kong Labour Department on the report of your visit. Presumably, although Sir Murray does not say so, this is in response to Mr Youde's letter of 4 April.

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2. We will now have to submit the report to Lord Goronwy-Roberts. I do not think the Governor intends that his covering letter should be submitted, nor would I do so.

It seems to me important that we should play this as an exercise in cooperation, not conflict. would propose only to make the point that, while the Labour Department have commented on the technicalities, the wider issues of the purpose and priorities of Government in Hong Kong will have to await the Governor's promised despatch.

3. You may think, however, that the Labour Department's attached commentary should be submitted with your report, together with any further points that you wish to make. Being by no means an expert in this complicated range of subjects, I would be most grateful for suggestions on how the report and the commentary should be presented to the Minister, and specifically on the extent to which the Labour Department's comments are a sufficient response to the technical points which you raised in your report. A draft passage or passages for the submission would be very helpful.

Dess

A C Stuart

Hong Kong & Indian Ocean

Dept.

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6 May 1974

Mr Stuart

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I agree with you that the Governor's covering letter should not be submitted. Its petulent tone would not, I think, be found very persuasive. Concerning the content of the letter, I wonder whether the Governor has, in fact, read my report? The report makes clear that there has been "very substantial progress in labour legislation in recent years" but questions the pace with which it was carried forward.

Moreover, in

two or three important areas such as hours of work of women and young persons, there has been no progress at all

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