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ISFAX
JUNE 30, 19
HONGKONG ROUNDUP
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WEAKER CONSUMER DEMAND CURBED THE LEVEL OF IMFORTS, CONTRIBUTING TO A NARROWING IN
THE TRADE GAP FOR LAST MONTH. BUT GROWTH IN DOMESTIC EXPORTS GROUND TO A VIRTUAL HALT.
C & S FIGURES SHOW THE VISIBLE TRADE DEFICIT AT HK$726 MILLION, DOWN FROM APRIL'S HK$2.2
BILLION. TOTAL EXPORTS FOR LAST MONTH ROSE THREE PER CENT ON MAY LAST YEAR TO HK$10.6
BILLION, WITH RE-EXPORTS AT HK$3.7 BILLION SHOWING A 10 PER CENT RISE. AGAINST THIS, THE
VALUE OF IMPORTS DROPPED THREE PER CENT ON THE SAME MONTH LAST YEAR TO HK$11.3 BILLION,
AS A RESULT, THE VISIBLE TRADE GAP WAS HALF THE FIGURE OF 12 FER CENT IN MAY LAST YEAR.
STUDIES ON THE BUILDING OF A REPLACEMENT AIRPORT AT CHEK LAP KOK ARE MOVING INTO THETR
FINAL PHASE. ALL THE FEASIBILITY STUDIES ARE DUE TO BE COMPLEXED BY THE END OF THE YEAR
AND THE RESULTS PRESENTED TO THE GOVERNMENT IN EARLY 1983 FOR A DECISION ON WHOWHER TO GO
AHEAD.
FOUR LOTY OF CROWN LAND WERE SOLD AT AN AUCTION TUESDAY FOR A TOTAL OF HK$157.9 MILLION.
THE LOT ON HOUNT BUTLER FETCHED THE HIGHEST RATE FOR THE DAY HK$22,711.86 PER SQ. METRE.
-Gre
THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL TUESDAY APPROVED DRANT LAWS SETTING UP NON-SMOKING AREAS AND
REQUIRING HEALTH WARNINGS ON CIGARETTE PACKETS AND IN ADVERTISING. THESE PROPOSALS ARE
DUE TO BE GAZETIED ON JULY 9 FOR INTRODUCTION TO THE IBGCO ON JULY 14.
TREVOR BEDFORD HAS BEEN APPOINTED A DIRECTOR OF HONG KONG ELECTRIC HOLDINGS LAD. HONG
KONG LAND, OF WHICH HE IS THE MANAGING DIRECTOR, EARLIER THIS YEAR PURCHASED A 34 PER CENT
SHAREHOLDING IN HK ELECTRIC.
TWO NEW BOOKS HAVE JUST HOON PUBLISHED. "THE BANK NOTE THAT NEVER WAS", BY FRANCIS BRAUN,
PROVIDES AN INSIGHT INTO THE MONTHS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE JAPANESE OCCUPATION AND TELLS
THE STORY OF HOW THE HK AUTHORITIES DEVISED A NEW FORM OF BANKNOTE THAT WAS NEVER ISSUED.
MR. BRAUN WAS PRINYING FOR THE GOVERNMENT WHEN THE NOTES WERE MADE.
JARDINE MATHESON HAVE RELEASED A 272-PAGE ILLUSTRATED REVIEW OF THEIR PAST EDITED BY
MAGGIE KESWICK IN HONOUR OF THEIR 150TH ANNIVERSARY, THE HK$200 BOOK IS A COLLECTION OF
ESSAYS AND REMINISCENCES BY NIE DIFFERENT AUTHORS WITH CONTRIBUTIONS BY MANY OTHERS.
KEFLYING TO A QUESTION IN LEGCO TODAY (WEDNESDAY) ON THE TEXTTLE NEGOTIATIONS WITH EEC,
DIRECTOR OF TRADE INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS, MR. BILL IRVARD SAID "THE HK STAND IS NOT A
DOCTRINAIRE POSTURE BUT A LEGITIMATE DEHSENCE OF OUR PIGENTIAL INTERESTS AND OF THE
PROPOSITION THAT IN ANY NEGOTIATION, EVEN BETWEEN VERY UNEQUAL PARTNERS, DUE REGARD MUST
BE HAD TO THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF EACH PARTY." HE CONSIDERED THE DEMANDS BY EEC FOR
CUTBACKS ON HK'S QUOTAS AS "INCONSISTENT" WITH THE TERMS OF THE MEA AND ARGUED A FIRST
PRIORITY MUST BE TO ESTABLISH TO WHAT EXTENT, IF ANY, SPECIFIC ERC PROBLEMS ARE BEING
ACTUALLY OR POTENTIALLY CAUSED BY IMPORTS FROM HK.
FOLLOWING THE SPEECH BY THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY IN LEGGO, THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL
MEMBER, R.H. LUBO, SPEAKING FOR ALL, HIS COLIMAGUES, EXPRESSED FULL SUPPORT FOR THE SETTING
UP OF CLOSED CAMPS FOR THE DETENTION OF VIETNAMESE REFUGIES.
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