SECRET
VII. Labour
The Planning Paper (paragraph 24) proposes methods of improving labour conditions, spelt out more fully in Annex C. The Governor argues that the absence of labour legislation on some of the points regarded as important here has not prevented Hong Kong workers achieving the second highest standard of living in Asia. There is some doubt here whether the statistics on
wage rates in Hong Kong are a reliable index of the standard of living. It would be important also to explore further to what degree local opposition to what look to be desirable measures does not derive from the present composition of UMELCO rather than from opinion in Hong Kong more generally. There is also some doubt whether labour conditions in Hong Kong are in fact as advanced as the best in the region, even excluding Japan.
VIII.
Britain and Hong Kong
There is some divergence of view over the degree of goodwill for Britain in Hong Kong. The Planning Paper (paragraphs 26-30) proposes ways of improving the dialogue at the official level, partly to relieve the burden at present carried almost exclusively by the Governor for maintaining the link between Whitehall and the Hong Kong Government. It also proposes an information policy designed to improve the British image in Hong Kong also suggests some limited use of Ministerial directive to enable some direct exercise of the Secretary of State's responsibility for the Colony.
Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Department 23 March 1976
SECRET
Page 135Page 136
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.