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normal working hours in shops in Hong Kong, and we recommend, largely as a Appendix social measure, that shops with certain exceptions should be closed for the purposes of retail trade or business at 8 o'clock every evening. In view of the strong views held on the subject by the Chinese members of our Committee we do not make any recommendation regarding half-day or whole-day closing on Sunday. Our Chinese members were also of opinion that for the majority of the population who live a hand-to-mouth existence the need to purchase foodstuffs ahead would cause hardship.

10. We have obtained from the electricity supply companies figures of the probable saving of coal: (a) if an hour's daylight saving were introduced and (b) if shops were compelled to extinguish their lights at 8 p.m. The estimated figures for (a) and (b) are respectively 10 tons and 71⁄2 tons per day. These are not large, especially in the latter case, and as a result we have refrained from making any recommendation regarding the lights in shops.

11. We have, through our Chinese members and the Honourable. Secretary for Chinese Affairs sounded shopkeepers on the subject of closing at 8 p.m. and we understand that this will be acceptable to the majority, and that there is no danger either of appreciable loss of trade or of reduction in the wages of workers. The Honourable Commissioner of Police has represented to us that such regulation may be difficult to enforce, but we consider that its acceptability to the majority will cause shopkeepers themselves to see to its observance.

12. We would express our thanks to the Honourable Secretary for Chinese Affairs and the Honourable Commissioner of Police for their assistance. Valuable information was received from the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce through their Secretaries who are members of our Committee, and we are grateful to the electricity supply companies for the information supplied by them through this channel.

III.

13. We append a draft Bill entitled "The Shops (Hours of Closing) Ordin- Appendix ance. 1940", which contains our detailed recommendations in this matter.

We have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your Excellency's most obedient servants,

(Sgd.) H. R. BUTTERS

D. KELVIN-STARK

C. W. JEFFRIES

T. N. CHAU

M. F. KEY

·

J. FINNIE

H. Y. T'so

R. A. CAMIDGE.