ENG-1962 — Page 69

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EMPLOYMENT

Migration for employment. As many countries maintain strict control over the entry of Chinese the scope for employment of Hong Kong Chinese overseas is comparatively limited. The principal sources of overseas employment are North Borneo, Brunei and Sarawak, where skilled and semi-skilled workers are in great demand in the construction industry and the oil fields. The British Phosphate Commissioners continued to recruit Hong Kong workers for Nauru and Ocean Islands. More fishermen went to Singapore to work. Chinese restaurants in Britain and other countries provided employment for many waiters and cooks at attractive wages. Except for British subjects taking up employ- ment in Britain, all emigrant manual workers held contracts of service drawn up in accordance with international labour con- ventions and approved by the Labour Department. Before their departure, emigrant workers had the terms of their contracts explained to them by an officer of the department. During 1962 1,514 such contracts were approved, compared with 1,513 in 1961.

Under the Commonwealth Immigrants Act, which came into force on 1st July 1962, a Hong Kong Chinese able to claim British nationality by reason of his birth in Hong Kong who wishes to go to Britain to work must, if he has not found a prospective employer there, apply to the Ministry of Labour in Britain for an employment voucher before entry. The Labour Department undertakes to forward these applications under arrangements with the issuing authorities in the United Kingdom. During the year 29 applications were received and 17 vouchers were issued. Most of the applicants were non-manual workers.

WAGES AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Wages. The wages of workers not engaged on piece rates are calculated on an hourly, daily, or monthly basis and are custom- arily paid at weekly or fortnightly intervals. Supervisors, techni- cians, employees of public utility companies, and all Government servants other than a few casual workers are normally paid on a monthly basis. Most semi-skilled and unskilled workers in manufacturing industries and in the printing trade are on daily rates of pay. There is no discrimination against women in rates of pay for piece work, but men engaged on a time basis are