ENG-1952 — Page 53

OCCUPATION, WAGES AND LABOUR ORGANIZATION

Legislation

In addition to the Trade Union and Trade Disputes Ordinance the department is responsible for the enforce- ment of the Factory and Workshops Ordinance govern- ing the maintenance of health, safety and welfare in workplaces, and of the Control of Minerals Regulations.

As far as is practicable in local conditions legisla- tion gives effect to the provisions of international labour conventions covering many aspects of labour; for example the minimum age of employment at sea and in industry, and night work by women and young persons. Reports on the application of conventions in the Colony are sent to the International Labour Organization every year.

Labour Organization

Although Hong Kong is one of the smallest of the Colonies the year opened with no less than 284 organizations on the register of trade unions, 206 being workers' unions. Whereas in 1951 twelve new organ- izations were registered during the entire year, an equal number were registered during the first half of 1952 alone. At the end of the year twenty-four new organizations (twenty-one of which were of workers and three of merchants or employers) had been regis- tered.

Some registered trade unions had at various times. become registered also as societies although unions are legally outside the scope of the Societies Ordinance. This anomaly was cleared up by their deregistration as societies. A few other organizations, whose interests are purely commercial or social, were transferred from the trade union register to that of the Societies Ordin-

ance.

33