TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 1975
ON OCCASIONS WHERE ACTION CANNOT BE COMPLETED AND HARDSHIP WOULD ARISE, FIELD UNITS HAVE ARRANGEMENTS TO. MAKE IMMEDIATE CASH PAYMENTS ON THE SPOT. EACH FIELD UNIT HAD A SUM OF MONEY FOR THIS PURPOSE, AND TOGETHER MAKE ABOUT 350 SUCH PAYMENTS EACH MONTH.
THE DEPARTMENT CURRENTLY HAS A CASELOAD OF ABOUT 46,000 CASES, 60 PER CENT OF WHOM ARE SINGLE PEOPLE, MOSTLY ELDERLY. THE OTHERS FALL INTO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES SUCH AS WIDOWS WITH DEPENDANT CHILDREN, ILL HEALTH, DISABILITY OR FAMILIES WITH LOW EARNINGS. CASES DIRECTLY RELATED TO UNEMPLOYMENT ACCOUNT FOR ONLY ABOUT FIVE PER CENT.
IN ADDITION TO THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME, MR. LEE SAID THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT ALSO OPERATES A DISABILITY AND INFIRMITY ALLOWANCES SCHEME WHICH PROVIDES EXTRA CASH FOR THE TOTALLY DISABLED AND THE ELDERLY AGED 75 YEARS OR MORE. THIS ALLOWANCE IS NOT MEANT AS A SUBSISTANCE ALLOWANCE, BUT IS PAID ON TOP OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE.
HONG KONG AUSTRALIA TEXTILES TALKS COMMENCE
******
CONSULTATIONS HAVE COMMENCED HERE BETWEEN HONG KONG AND AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS REGARDING THE CONTINUATION OF RESTRAINTS ON EXPORTS OF CERTAIN APPAREL ITEMS FROM HONG KONG TO AUSTRALIA. HONG KONG HAS ALSO BEEN REQUESTED TO RESTRAIN EXPORTS OF THREE OTHER APPAREL ITEMS.
THE CONSULTATIONS ARE BEING HELD UNDER THE ARRANGEMENT REGARDING INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN TEXTILES.
AT THE REQUEST OF THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT, THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT HAS SUSPENDED WITH EFFECT FROM TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 1975, THE ISSUE OF FURTHER EXPORT AUTHORISATIONS FOR EXPORT TO AUSTRALIA OF KNITTED BLOUSES OF COTTON OR MAN-MADE. FIBRES (WOMEN'S AND GIRLS') AND WOVEN BLOUSES OF COTTON (WOMEN'S AND GIRLS' AND INFANTS') PENDING THE OUTCOME OF THE CONSULTATIONS.
DETAILS HAVE BEEN RELEASED TO THE TRADE IN THE DEPARTMENT'S NOTICE TO EXPORTERS, SERIES 4, NO. 10/75 DATED APRIL 29, 1975.
TRADE ASSOCIATIONS AND COMPANIES ON THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT'S MAILING LIST FOR NOTICE TO EXPORTERS, SERIES 4 WILL RECEIVE COPIES OF THE ABOVE NOTICE SHORTLY. COPIES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE RECEPTIONIST COUNTER ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT, 46 CONNAUGHT ROAD CENTRAL, HONG KONG.
14
A