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Wage and Cost of Living

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  • Report by the Labour Officer Mr H.R. Butters on Labour and Labour Conditions in Hong Kong (SP1939...
    The 65-page report was prepared by the first Labour Officer in Hong Kong. It consists of 12 chapters. The first three chapters gave an overview of the political situations of China and Hong Kong respectively from the 1910s to 1930s, and the historical, cultural and social connections between the two places. Chapter 4 and 5 summarised the history of social legislation in Hong Kong and the related legislation for handling labour strikes, contract and emergency. Chapter 6 to 10 detailed the general working conditions in the Chinese factories, the livelihood of workers and the wage levels of various types of workers in different industries. Chapter 11 described the background, the jobs and the living standards of 20 workers of various classes who had supplied information of their jobs and standards of living to the Labour Officer. In the final chapter, the Labour Officer provided his recommendations to improve the labour conditions in Hong Kong.
  • Wages and Cost of Living (1939)
    This document is Chapter 7 of the Report by the Labour Officer Mr H.R. Butters on Labour and Labour Conditions in Hong Kong. The chapter provided several tables of figures: (1) the wholesale prices of certain foodstuff from 1924 to 1938; (2) the retail prices of staple food from 1930 to 1938; (3) the value of local dollar in terms of sterling; (4) the cost of living for a single man, for a man and his wife, and for one child; (5) diet for Chinese prisoners, men and women, with hard labour, and that for Chinese patients in the government hospitals. The chapter also provided figures of cost on food, housing, clothing and other items; and the rates of pay of Chinese workers in local factories.
  • Housing (1939)
    This document is Chapter 8 of the Report by the Labour Officer Mr H.R. Butters on Labour and Labour Conditions in Hong Kong. The Chapter discussed the problems of overcrowding and accommodation problems in the urban areas round the harbour, the high cost of accommodation for the working classes and the encroachment by factories upon property designed for housing purposes. The Chapter also reviewed some of the recommendations proposed by the commissions that were appointed to inquire into the housing accommodation in the Colony in 1923 and 1935 respectively, in terms of land use, rent control, control of subletting of tenement flats, establishment of settlements in slum areas, and decentralisation of urban residences.
  • "Accidents, Medical Treatment and Compensation" (1939)
    This document is Chapter 9 of the Report by the Labour Officer Mr H.R. Butters on Labour and Labour Conditions in Hong Kong. The Chapter reviewed the monitoring of factory accidents under the Factories and Workshops Ordinance No. 18 in 1937; and provided a table showing the list of accidents which occurred in factories, mines, etc., in 1938. The Chapter also outlined the provision of medical assistance and injury compensation for civil servants under the Pension Ordinance No.21 of 1932; the medical provisions by some private companies and by the charitable organizations; and the use of the medical services in the cases of worker's injuries and some occupational diseases.
  • "Education" (1939)
    This document is Chapter 10 of the Report by the Labour Officer Mr H.R. Butters on Labour and Labour Conditions in Hong Kong. The Chapter reviewed from the Census Report of 1931 the level of schooling and literacy, and the different types of school and educational opportunities for the school-aged children in Hong Kong.
  • Wages and Cost of Living (1932)
    The report is originally in the Administrative Reports for the year 1932. It is attached with a table of average rates of wages and working hours for labour, and a table of retail price of foodstuff.
  • Wages and Cost of Living (1933)
    The report is originally in the Administrative Reports for the year 1933. It is attached with a table of average rates of wages and working hours for labour, and a table of retail price of foodstuff.
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