§ 44. Mr. Awberyasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps have been taken to prepare a scheme of registration and decasualisation of the port workers of Singapore as a means of removing the present industrial unrest.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydThe Singapore Government have recently appointed a Port Commission, one of whose terms of reference will be to examine and report on the desirability of establishing a separate Dock Labour Authority to be responsible for the supply of labour for the waterfront and to advise on the organisation and functions of any such body.
§ Mr. AwberyCannot the Minister draw the attention of the Commission to the position in this country, because a great deal of the trouble is the casual character of the labour? If he wants to remove the cause of the trouble at the docks in Singapore, could not there be introduced a system of decasualisation of labour, similar to that which we have in this country?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI will circulate the names of the Commission. After reading them I do not think that the hon. Gentleman will feel that it is necessary for me to draw their attention to any such matter.
§ Following are the names of the Members of the Commission.
§ Chairman:
§ Sir Eric Millbourn—Honorary adviser on ports to the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation.
§ Members:
- Mr. Francis H. Cave, lately General Manager of Mersey Docks and Harbour Board.
- Sir Ian Parkin—formerly General Manager of the National Dock Labour Board.
- Mr. Colin C. Black, formerly a Director of Messrs. Furness Withy & Co. Ltd.
- Mr. W. H. McNeill, a director of the Straits Steamship Co. Ltd.
- Mr. Y. C. Chang, Secretary of the Singapore Chinese Shipping Association.
- Mr. S. Jagarathan, President of the Singapore Trades Union Congress.
- Mr. Kenneth A. Seth, Legal Adviser to the Commission.