TNAG-0485-FCO40-550-UK-publications-on-labour-and-social-conditions-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 106

LA CEP ISTA

HONGAID LONDON

PARKER 31SHOP HERE

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HONGAID LONDON

MONSER LANCING

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PLEASE PASS FOR THE URGENT ATTENTION OF MR. BOXALL

VERBATIM TRANSCRIPT OF ITEM ON RADIO WORLD TONIGHT' STH SEPTEMBER

10.P.M.

1974

DOUGLAS STUART: AFTER A PERIOD OF FOUR CENTURIES, PORTUGAL'S AFRICAN EMPIRE IS SWIFTLY DISSOLVING. THE DISSOLUTION OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE HAS BEEN EQUALLY SWIFT, SO MUCH SO THAT SOMETIMES IT TAKES AN ACT OF WILL TO RECALL THAT BRITAIN STILL POSSESSES AND ADMINISTERS COLONIES AROUND THE WORLD. OF THESE THE MOST PROSPEROUS IS HONG KONG, SITUATED ON THE SOUTH COAST OF CHINA. ON ITS FOUR HUNDRED SQUARE MILES OF SCRUB AND ROCK, OVER FOUR MILLION PEOPLE LIVE. MAYING THE COLONY ONE OF THE WORLD'S TOP TWENTY TRADING NATIONS. A GROUP CALLED THE HONG KONG RESEARCH PROJECT, HOWEVER, IS LESS THAN ENAMOURED AT THE WAY BRITAIN RUNS HONG KONG AND IN A PAMPHLET THE GROUP SAYS SO FORCIBLY, BACKING UP ITS OPINIONS WITH FACTS AND FIGURES. THE PAMPHLET'S CALLED 'HONG KONG A CASE TO ANSWER. A MEMBER OF THE RESEARCH PROJECT IS THE LABOUR M.P. FOR SOUTH AYRSHIRE, MR. JAMES SILLARS.

KEITH HINDLE ASKED HIM -

WHAT'S THE CASE TO ANSWER?

MR. SILLARS: OH, THE CASE IS THAT AT THE PRESENT TIME THE UNITED KINGDOM IS ONE HUNDRED PER CENT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CROWN COLONY OF HONG KONG AND THAT SOCIAL CONDITIONS AND LABOUR CONDITIONS IN THAT COLONY ARE A STANDING DISGRACE TO THE UNITED KINGDOM IN THE EYES OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND WHAT WE'RE ARGUING IS THAT SOMETHING MUST BE DONE IMMEDIATELY TO IMPROVE THE STANDARD OF LIVING OF THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE WORKING PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

K. HINDLE:

:

WHEN YOU SAY THEY'RE A DISGRACE, YOU MEAN

THEY ARE WORSE THAN THEY ARE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM? -

MR. SILLARS: NO, I DON'T MEAN THAT AT ALL, THEY ARE WORSE THAN THEY ARE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. FOR EXAMPLE, WE APPLY INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATION CONVENTIONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM COVERNING MINIMUM STANDARDS IN FACTORIES AND PLACES OF WORK, A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT ONES FOR WHICH WE ARE RESPONSIBLE ARE NOT APPLIED IN HONG KONG. PROSTITUTION IS A TERRIBLE DISGRACE IN THE COLONY. IT IS ONE OF THE DRUG CENTRES OF THE WORLD. THE DISPARITY BETWEEN THE RICH PEOPLE IN HONG KONG AND THE POOR PEOPLE HAS REACHED A POINT ALMOST OF SOCIAL OBSCENITY, SO IT'S NOT A QUESTION OF COMPARING IT WITH THE UNITED KINGDOM. IT IS IN FACT LOOKING AT THE COLONY OF HONG KONG ITSELF AND SAYING WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF HONG KONG, IT IS A DISGRACEFUL COLONY.