192870-1932-Supplementary-Bills-read-a-first-time--Supplementary-Appropriation-Foreshores-and-Sea-Bed-Amendment-Factories-and-Workshops-Minimum-Wage — Page 14

735

[No. 32-28.7.32.-3.]

C.S.O. 7 in 1259/21.

A BILL

INTITULED

An Ordinance to make provision for fixing minimum wages in occupations where the wages paid are unreasonably low.

Be it enacted by the Governor of Hong Kong, with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows:

1. This Ordinance may be cited as the Minimum Wage Short title. Ordinance, 1952.

2.-(1) The Governor in Council may, at any time he Fixing thinks fit, fix a minimum wage for any occupation in which he is satisfied that the wages paid are unreasonably low.

(2) For the purpose of instituting, making, and conducting any inquiry that may be deemed advisable in connection with fixing any minimum wage under this Ordinance, and for reporting thereon, the Governor may at any time appoint a Board of Commissioners consisting of five persons, of whom one shall be a judge or magistrate, who shall be chairman of the Board.

minimum wages in certain

cases.

No. 13 of

(3) The provisions of sections 3 to 10, inclusive, of the Ordinance Commissioners Powers Ordinance, 1886, shall apply to any 1886. Board so appointed.

of less than

3. Any minimum wage so fixed shall be published by Penalty Government Notification in the Gazette and thereafter, until for payment the said minimum wage is revoked by a subsequent Govern- minimum ment Notification similarly published, the payment of a less wage. wage in any occupation than the minimum fixed for that occupation shall be deemed to be a contravention of this Ordinance for which the offender shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars.

4. The Governor in Council may make regulations Rules for governing the procedure to be adopted by any Board appointed Minimum

Wage under section 2 and generally for the purposes of carrying Board. into effect the provisions of this Ordinance.

Objects and Reasons.

Legislation on the lines of this Ordinance has been suggested by the Secretary of State, in his circular despatch of the 30th March, 1932, in order to carry out the obligations arising from Article 421 of the Treaty of Versailles in respect of the International Labour Convention concerning the creation of minimum wage fixing machinery.

C. G. ALABASTER,

Attorney General.

July, 1932.