TNAG-1661-FCO40-2309-Hong-Kong-localisation-of-shipping-legislation-1987 — Page 85

tion No. 105: Abolition of Forced Labour, 1957

Observation 1986

United Kingdom

Hong Kong

Article 1(c) and (d) of the Convention. In earlier Committee

comments, the referred to sections 221 to 224 and 225(1)(b), (c) and (e) of the United Kingdom Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, under which certain breaches labour discipline are punishable with imprisonment, involving an obligation to of perform labour, and which provide for the forcible return board ship.

of deserters on The Committee noted that these provisions, which had been repealed for the United Kingdom by the 1970 Merchant Shipping Act, in force for

a number of non-metropolitan territories. The Committee also noted from the Government's report that an Order in Council under of

section the 1970

94 Act was in preparation to extend to the territories concerned the repeal of the provisions in question.

non-metropolitan

were

still

the

The Committee notes from the Government's latest report that Government is now considering to extend

to the non-metropolitan the full 1970

territories Act so as to extend to them the repeal of the whole of Part II of the 1894 Act, that it is first to write to the territories asking for

concerned, their views on this, and that it will provide information in its next report on the progress of these consultations.

are

many

As the need to repeal the provisions of the 1894 Act which incompatible with the Convention has been the subject of comment for years, the

Committee hopes that the Government will soon be able to indicate the measures taken, upon consultation with the territories concerned, ensure the observance of the Convention both in maritime law and in practice throughout the non-metropolitan territories.

to