MONDAY, JULY 2, 1979
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SURVEY OF SQUATTER FACTORIES
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STARTING FROM TOMORROW (TUESDAY), THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT WILL CONDUCT A SURVEY OF ALL SQUATTER FACTORIES ON HONG KONG ISLAND, IN KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES.
THE SURVEY IS TO ESTABLISH THEIR OVERALL ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE IN TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT AND PRODUCTION IN RELATION TO HONG KONG'S MANUFACTURING SECTOR, AND TO IDENTIFY THOSE SQUATTER INDUSTRIES THAT MAY HAVE CLEARANCE DIFFICULTIES.
A LISTING OF SOME 11,000 SQUATTER WORKSHOPS HAS BEEN DRAWN UP FROM RECORDS OF THE SQUATTER CONTROL SECTIONS OF THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT AND THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION. THE LISTING PROVIDES BASIC ESTABLISHMENT PARTICULARS IN ACCORDANCE WITH WHICH SQUATTER FACTORIES CAN BE ENUMERATED INDIVIDUALLY.
+THE SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE IS VERY SIMPLE. INFORMATION SOUGHT INCLUDES THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ENGAGED, TYPE OF PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED AND INDUSTRIAL SERVICES RENDERED, SALES OUTLETS, NATURE OF BUSINESS OF THE PRINCIPAL CUSTOMER, AND SALES AND SERVICE RECEIPTS,+ A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID.
STUDENT WORKERS FROM POST-SECONDARY COLLEGES ARE BEING ENGAGED TO CARRY OUT THE FIELD ENUMERATION.
+THEY CARRY AN EUMERATOR'S IDENTITY CARD WHILE ON DUTY, AND ARE SUPERVISED BY FIELD OFFICERS WHO ARE PERMANENT EMPLOYEES OF THE DEPARTMENT, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
HE APPEALED TO ALL PROPRIETORS AND MANAGEMENTS OF SQUATTER FACTORIES IN HONG KONG FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE AND CO-OPERATION IN THE SURVEY.
THE SPOKESMAN STRESSED THAT THE SURVEY WILL PROVIDE USEFUL AGGREGATE DATA FOR GOVERNMENT POLICY MAKING, WHICH WILL IN TURN BE OF BENEFIT TO THE OPERATORS OF SQUATTER FACTOR IES THEMSELVES.
THE STATISTICAL INFORMATION COLLECTED WILL BE USED BY RELEVANT GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS SOLELY FOR ANALYTICAL PURPOSES, AND IS TO BE KEPT STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL, HE ADDED.
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