TNAG-0785-FCO40-989-Study-of-labour-relations-in-Hong-Kong-by-Professor-H-A-Turn-1978 — Page 131

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1. Some time ago you asked me to obtain copies of two reports completed by associates of Professor Turner: Michael Quinlan's report on civil service unionism in Hong Kong and Richard Morris's "Staff Relations in the Hong Kong Civil Service". Copies are attached.

2. On the telephone today I asked Professor Turner what his plans were about completion of his report on industrial relations in Hong Kong since this would be an item for the next meeting of the Overseas Labour Consultative Committee and we were wondering when to convene it. I gather he intends to finish the report this term and send it to Hong Kong in time to discuss it whenhe goes there in May or April. We should therefore expect the report about the middle of the year.

3.

analt with the Peking Gover Hong Kon views on the our of the communist

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Professor Turner raised another point. He claims that when Sir Murray Maclehose dined at Churchill College in December as his guest, the Governor was of the opinion that there would be value in Professor Turner visiting China in order to ascertain

Professor Turner referred to his other "legitimate academic interests" in Communist China, particularly in the field of incomes and wages policies on which he is an authority. He referred to having had past academic contacts with Peking, resulting largely from earlier visits paid by some Cambridge colleagues, but admitted that these seemed to have come to nothing.

4.

I asked about expenses and though Professor Turner talked vaguely about being able to find a little money himself, I gather that the main contribution would have to come from public funds. He thought a special trip from the UK would be only slightly more expensive than travelling from Hong Kong in March/April. He claims Cooks do a special tour at an inclusive cost of £600/£700 where the charges of the Peking Travel Agency in Hong Kong are only a little lower at HK$ 5000. He went on to say that he hoped it would not be necessary to make the trip as a package tourist and that some formal backing could be given such as introductions arranged through the Embassy in Peking.

5. I do not know whether the Governor has mentioned this to you and you may wish to seek his views. As this is such an early stage I have not copied this minute to FED but please do so if you wish.

9 January 1978

HR G Hurst Overseas Labour Adviser

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