TNAG-0645-FCO40-793-Employment-of-children-in-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 26

Top Copy on HKK 230||

lover food inte ant

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No.

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To:-

(69)

By Maple be 75964. 1/10/130/9

Type 1

From

JAB STEWART

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Top Secret,

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...................................In Confidence

A

Lord Goronwy-Roberts

Origin::! at: HKK. 280/1

This Copy for: HKK 210 1.

Information only / Action on

Para(s)

Department

HKGD

HONG KONG: COMPULSORY EDUCATION AND THE ILLEGAL EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN

to

Lord

138 154/1. The Governor of Hong Kong replied on 30 July

Goronwy-Roberts' letter of 21 June in which the Minister

suggested:-

Haga Yn 3.56

Ir willen,

Iœm

/not-preparall to let this go Pentru culvil Iamsoned

the fucks.

The last par & H.K. Tel H.K.Tel 20302 is ey pretty Ambiguous. Pse have trisindela

for mybriding for by HK visit.

teeles

Dayrd

~phoafe

(a) that charges for the illegal employment of children should be so framed as to produce à separate count in respect of each child; and

!{

(b) that there should be free compulsory education for all children up to the age of fifteen.

2.1

22. rece

It

The Governor's reply is not very satisfactory. can be accepted that separate counts in respect of each child is unnecessary because magistrates take into

account the number of children involved when determining

the level of fines but the Governor has not accepted the

main condition of the Minister's letter that free compulsory education is the answer to illegal child labour.

1

3. The Governor contends (para 3b) that there are plans for extending the powers of the Director of Education to enforce attendance. These plans have not yet been submitted to the Executive Council nor, indeed, have they been communicated to the FCO. It would be interesting, for example, to know how many education officers are currently employed in enforcing attendance, how many cases have been dealt with and what increase in staff would be required to enforce prohibition "across the board". This would be a gargantuan task.

4.

влеет

There is no question but that compulsory education is the only easily enfordable solution to the problem of

child labour.

Apart from the need to eradicate the evil

/of

Dd 108087 400M S&K 1/77

N