TNAG-0876-FCO40-1086-Development-of-social-welfare-policy-in-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 175

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(8) LEGISLATION IS BEING PREPARED TO EXTEND THE PRESENT MINIMUM AGE OF EMPLOYMENT (1,E AGE 14) IN INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS TO THE NON-INDUSTRIAL SECTOR AS FROM SEPTEMBER 1979, AND, AS FROM SEPTEMBER 1980, TO RAISE THE MINIMUM AGE TO 15, UNLESS THE CHILD HAS ALREADY COMPLETED THREE YEARS OF SECONDARY EDUCATION. AS IN

BRITAIN, PART-TIME EMPLOYMENT IN LIGHT NON-INDUSTRIAL WORK WILL BE

PERMITTED. THIS IS RELATED TO THE EXTENSION OF COMPULSORY EDUCATION UP TO FORM 111.

THE MACHINERY FOR ENFORCING THE LAW CONTROLLING THE EMPLOYMENT

OF YOUNG PEOPLE IS THE LABOUR INSPECTORATE WHICH HAS AN

ESTABLISHMENT OF 141. THE INSPECTORATE IS TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY

EXPANDED TO ENFORCE THE NEW LEGISLATION.

(9) THE MAXIMUM PENALTY FOR THE ILLEGAL EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN IN INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS IS HONG KONG DOLLARS 10,000 (SINCE MAY 1979). THE AVERAGE FINE PER CHILD EMPLOYED ILLEGALLY HAS BEEN

RISING CONSISTENTLY:

1978 H.K.DOLLARS 931

1977

885

1976

461

1975

1974

#

1)

290

225

THE CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ARE FIRMLY OPPOSED TO

THE IDEA OF A STATUTORY MINIMUM FINE ON GROUNDS OF PRINCIPLE SINCE

CASES DIFFER SO GREATLY, AND THERE IS A REAL RISK THAT A HIGH

MINIMUM FINE COULD RESULT IN MAGISTRATES BEING RELUCTANT TO

CONVICT IN CASES OF A LESS HEINOUS NATURE.

LETTER OF 2 MAY 1977 TO LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS.

(10) I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY SUCH PROPOSALS.

MACLEHOSE

FILES HK & GD (6) OLA

PS/LORD CORONWI ROBERTS

MR CORTAZZI MR MURRAY

PLEASE REFER TO MY

COPIES TO

HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE

6 GRAFTON STREET, W1

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