ENG-1951 — Page 40

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unemployed, and about 20,000, or 20%, are under-employed. In addition a further estimated 20,000 workers consisting of out-workers, cottage industry employees and miscellaneous workers on the fringe of industry have been affected.

Work in the bulk of the factories has been spasmodic, and large orders have been shared out by exporters to many factories of various sizes. Consequently, a factory may have been operating for one week or so during a month, or may have been working rotation shifts or working at a third to a half capacity. In such instances and particularly if limited operation has not coincided with the forwarding of employ- ment returns, full employment has been returned.

Early in 1951, when the American restrictions on the shipment of certain raw materials to the Colony and the world shortages and high prices of raw materials were first felt, many small factories became bankrupt and many larger factories

many larger factories were forced to close down temporarily, though some were able to weather the storm. Markets have thus been lost, and it is feared that the competition from Japanese production and export drives will make recovery of these markets very difficult.

The spinning industry continues to expand and the 13 mills in operation have a combined total of 194,000 spindles. Several mills have weaving sections with a total of 1,200 new automatic or semi- automatic looms. There is a total employment force of 5,359 males and 2,635 females in this industry. The weaving industry has also expanded and there now 154 sheds employing 11,016 workers, as against 148 sheds with 9,708 workers on 31st December 1950.

Mining has also developed and one large wolfram ore mine and one lead mine have been re-activated. There are now 4,500 miners employed in the three registered mines. The rise in price of metals has encouraged extensive illegal mining activity in various districts of the New Territories.

Employment in shipbuilding and repairing dropped from 8,180 on 31st December 1950 to 7,700 on 30th September 1951 and as fewer ships are using the harbour facilities it is unlikely that figures for the last quarter, when compiled, will show an increase.

The inspectorate made a total of 12,738 visits during the year. Of these, 635 were weekend visits to young persons in industry, 691 were night visits to factories and workshops, and 1,763 were in connexion with industrial and occupational accidents and injuries and compensation. The remainder were routine inspections of factories and workshops.

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