1938-07-08 — Page 18

THE HONGKONG Telegraph, Friday, JULY 8, 1988.

A BREATH OF ENGLAND

RAIN MEANS RUIN

TO THESE

THESE MEN

"The Woolpack Irm" Yalding. By Stanhope A. Forbes, Math.

(Bahlărind at the Royal Azadany, 1998)

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ANNOUNCEMENT

The Engagement is announced be- tween Muriel, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S. G. Smith, Hongkong, und William, only son of the late inspector and Mrs.

Cameron, พ.

of Errol, Perthshire, Scotland.

The

T

HE people in England of half a day's pay means in the who want to save home. But when it is a question most for a rainy day of days, sometimes wecks, of bad weather the worker suffers real are the 1,000,000 workers privation, engaged in building and the other 1,000,000 who are in-

Hongkong Telegraph. directly affected.

FRIDAY, JULY 8, 1938.

THIRD POWER INTERESTS

"No wonder that we in the building industry are more afraid of the 'depression over Iceland' than any other worker.

"Now there is fresh hope."

MR. Hicks

Practically unknown to the general public, half

a million building workers in England are now vot- ing on a scheme to end the misery of wages lost through bad weather.

The scheme has already been agreed bótween the employers and the union leaders. The men are giving their view through a national ballot, but the issue is not in doubt,

Below, Mr. GEORGE HICKS, M.P., President of the National Federation of Building Trades Operatives, explains the schemo,

"By contributions. Towards the National Federation of the fund the employers will con- Building Trades Operatives."

tribute half, the building work- ers the other half. The crafts-

Mr. Hicks added that workers' would not be able to draw lost

man will pay 6d., the labourer

time benefit and unemployment 41d., and the apprentice or insurance benefit at the same

junior 2d. weekly. The em- time. ployer will contribute an equal

In

amount to that contributed by His other points must be sum- ench craftsman, labourer or marised for lack of space. junior, as the case may be. short, the workers will pay about £1,000,000 annually, the employ- ers a similar sum."

"How will the scheme work?" "The scheme will be national scope and apply to the entire building Industry, trade union- ist and non-unionist alike."

"How will those who have lost time make the fact knowa? How will the records be kept?”

☆

THE scheme is to be operated by a. Joint Board composed of an equal num- ber of employers' and operatives' representatives. There will be no Government representative. It will start 12 months after tho scheme's inception to allow time for the Fund to accumulate.

Let me end this interview "The responsibility will be with Mr. Hicks calling all build- upon the employers to keep pro- ing workers. Here he is. per records of the time lost by their workers."

"I regard this scheme as the "How will those who have lost time greatest proposal for reform ever made in the building in- "Surely, Mr. Hicks, the building bé pald?” workers and their trade unions have

dustry. To many an old brick- "They will be paid by the em layer or labourer the very idea of this 'wet time' problem?"

ployers. They will receive the

of being paid 50 per cent. lost have from money at the same time as they time will seem like an inspira- "Certainly We every angle. First during the receive their wages."

tion from on high. The scheme war. Later, when Lord Addison "To what extent will they be paid will be, in my opinion, the first What will be the rate big step in the direction of per- Hicks was Minister of Health we had for lost time? scheme for insuring building ment.

tells you about his discussions with the Govern- of benefit?"

manency of employment in the We demanded 100 per

building industry. It will pro- operatives against bad weather cent. payment for

vide us with the basis for de- casualising the industry and moving towards the guaranteed week."

At present the weather is finc. Buildings are leaping to- wards the sun all over the coun- try. Those engaged on the con. structional side of the business go out in the morning with

explained reasonable certainty that they

why in answer to a will work under God's heaven number of questions put to him. Reports of Franco-Japanese all day and take home a full Here they are: tension, or at least irritation, | pay-packet at the end of the may or may not have good week. foundation. It is most difficult But when the weather breaks endeavoured to arrive at some solution to judge. Reputable Chinese--what then? sources declare that a Japanese flect has been sent back to Hai- waters because of nan

the

French action of sending police to the Paracels to guard the meteorological station and other equipment there, and the men

Mr. BEFORE

time lost

be

☆ it has been agreed between through inclement weather. But the unions and the employers nothing happened. After the

"OBVIOUSLY, if the scheme is to be a and is now the subject of a National Building Trades dis- who are in charge. But such national ballot let me give you pute in 1924 we tried to embody able to pay somewhat less than workable one, it is only reason- action by Japan presupposes an his expert opinion of what the a scheme for 'wet time' payment the amount which would intention on her part to make rainy day means to the builder. in the terms of settlement, but earned by working. That is without effect. Since then we essential to check knocking off' Chater Road. some sort of display in Hainan

"Rain and snow, frost and have kept hammering away: for frivolous reasons. as a reprisal; and it would seem fog mean more to us," said Mr. Actually, it was agreed in 1926 Hicks, "than they do to most with the employees to be on a SSSSSSSCESSEUSSSSSS very senseless, for the French folk. To the majority of people joint contributory basis, and in that the rate of benefit for lost are vitally interested in the pre- they mean just a little discom- 1929 the Joint Committee of time through bad weather shall servation of Hainan's freedom fort and the warm appeal of the Employers and Operatives urged be 9d. per hour for craftsmen, from Japanese domination, and cosy fireside. To the building the need for a system of national 7d. per hour for labourers and worker they mean "standing off. insurance to the Ministry of 4d. for youths between 16 and in that have the backing of He is temporarily discharged Labour. We have at last ar- 21." Great Britain. The situation in and thus loses time and money. rived at the present scheme." China is too critical to allow One can appreciate what the loss Japan to get herself involved

Music hath charms

Sunday Classical Concert

at Repulse Bay Hotel

Under leadership of

Ceo. Pla-Ulski

Programme for Sunday, 10th July, 1938.

1 p.m. — 2.30 p.m.

PROGRAMME

1. Momento Capriccioso

Weber.

2. Anitra's Dance

.Grieg.

· 3.

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.Bizet.

4. Othello. Belcation

.Verdi.

5. Finale from Eb Symphony

..Mozart.

6. Fesche Gelater. Waliz

..Strousa.

7 Tango Fato

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elsewhere. Therefore, reports discrimination

to

"What does it amount to?" "What it amounts to, in brief, bo shown is this. A fund will be created of a Japanese concentration in against her indefinitely in the which, it is estimated, will total

and other Hainan waters, and French Langtse

Chinese £2,000,000 annually." inland watera where the

"How?"

the

"It is proposed, therefore,

"What guarantee have the workers that their interests will be safe guarded?"

"On each job a steward will be elected either by the workers themselves or by the representa tives of the trade unions affiliat- ed to or under the auspices of

moves to counteract any possi-Japanese are pursuing their war blo menace, should be accepted of invasion. The answer which only with the reservation that the Under-Secretary of Foreign GRIN AND BEAR IT

Chinese sources whence Affairs gave to questioners in these stories come may have the House of Commons recently been misled. On the other hand was illuminating. It appears that Britain has seriously con- there is no use blindly refusing sidered placing armed ships in to believe that difficulties may the Yangtse for the purpose of develop in this sphere. It has convoying merchantmen about long been suspected that Japan their legitimate business. Ap covets Hainan, and the French at parently the only reason why this matter has not been carried Kwongchowan and the British farther is because merchants

at Hongkong and at Singa- engaged in the Far East trade pore have apparently felt somo have not yet demanded it. That is the construction which must concern lest the expanding be placed on Mr. Butler's an- power of Tokyo should plant the swer. flag of the Rising Sun on Hai- As for these questions of trad- ing rights and the very vexed nan soil. Not that France or problem of customs levies and Britain wants the island. They the distribution of the revenue simply want to see it in safe from this source, it is necessary hands. It is conceivable, then, that they be approached with the utmost patience by all that France might take steps to parties concerned. Particularly prevent its occupation, particu-is patience necessary with Japan larly with British support, and at this juncture, when her at- the report of French planes with the prosecution of a war tention is very fully taken up massing at Kwongchowan and and when her own patience is French warships patrolling bo- probably not inexhaustible. tween that Colony and the Britain only wants to be certain that her rights will be safe- Paracels thereforo cannot be guarded. China's rights dismissed as more fiction.

quite another matter, and do There are signs, too, that not enter into the Anglo- Britain does not intend to allow Japanese equation.

aro

By Lichty

641 Clar. 1123 by Unlled Puttura Fyndlista, The. "You'd never see the sights in Hongkong if we didn't visit you and. show you around!"

Good luck, Mr. Hicks!

REDUCTION OF SUGAR QUOTA NOT DISCUSSED

London, July 7.

The International Sugar Council, which met in London on Tuesday to cosider the working of the Sugar. discussions regarding its policy for Agreement, and to hold preliminary

the second sugar quota year, which opens on September 1, is now con- sidering the estimate of market re- quirements mode by its statistical committee.

ed, but a meeting of the Council in Figures have not yet been publish-

May estimated that the market re- quirements would be 3,050,000 metric tons, compared with the estimate of 3,260,000 metric tong. made on March 20.

It is understood that the question of a further reduction of the quota lias not yet been discussed.-Reuter.

RADIO DIFFUSION SCHEME STILL A POSSIBILITY

That Government may introduce а Radio Difusion system--a form of wired wireless by which radio brand- casts are received over telephone or power circuits-Is indicated by tho. fact that the sum of $0,000 is still included in the estimates for the purchase of the necessary equipment. The vote was originally included In the 1937 estimate, but in the Draft Appropriation Account, tabled in Legislative Council this afternoon, the statement is made at the amount is being held in aboyanco pending Government's final declalon on the scheme.

The vote for $4,000 has, however, been reduced to $4,772 by an imex- plained expenditure last year in connection with the scheme.

It is recalled that a Radio Diffu- slon schemo was Introduced to Hongkong by the Telephone Com- pany three years ago, but remained in existence only # Low months, owing to lack of support from the public.