MONDAY, AUGUST 20, 1979
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APPOINTMENT OF POSTMASTER GENERAL
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THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS HAS APPROVED THE PROMOTION OF MR. A.C. HEATHCOTE, 0.B.E., J.P. TO POSTMASTER GENERAL TO SUCCEED MR. D.J.K. BAMFORD, 0.B.E. J.P. WHO WILL COMMENCE HIS TERMINAL LEAVE IN JANUARY 1980 ON COMPLETION OF AGREEMENT.
MR. HEATHCOTE, AGED 57, STARTED HIS POST OFFICE CAREER IN THE UNITED KINGDOM IN 1939 WHERE HE SERVED FOR NINE YEARS BEFORE JOINING THE COLONIAL SERVICE. HE RETIRED AS HEAD OF THE POSTAL SERVICES BRANCH IN NIGERIA IN 1962, AND THEN SERVED AS DIRECTOR OF POSTS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS IN LESOTHO FROM 1964 TO 1972.
HE CAME TO HONG KONG AND WAS APPOINTED CHIEF CONTROLLER OF POSTS IN 1973. HE WAS PROMOTED TO DEPUTY POSTMASTER GENERAL IN MARCH 1977. MR. HEATHCOTE WAS AWARDED THE O.B.E. IN 1969.
CENSUS RESULTS ON WHOLESALE, RETAIL AND
IMPORT/EXPORT TRADES
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THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT TODAY (MONDAY) RELEASED RESULTS OF A LARGE-SCALE ECONOMIC CENSUS IN 1978 ON THE WHOLESALE, RETAIL AND IMPORT/EXPORT TRADES, COLLECTING DATA RELATING TO 1977.
+ONE OF THE MAIN PURPOSES OF THIS CENSUS IS TO EVALUATE THE ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION OF THESE TRADE SECTORS TO HONG KONG'S GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT (GDP) IN TERMS OF CENSUS VALUE-ADDED,+ A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT SAID.
+CENSUS VALUE-ADDED IS OBTAINED BY SUBTRACTING FROM SALES, THE TOTAL VALUE OF PURCHASES OF GOODS, MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES, AND PAYMENTS FOR WATER, ENERGY, COMMISSIONS AND CONTRACT WORK,+ THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED.
ACCORDING TO THE CENSUS RESULTS IMPORT/EXPORT BUSINESS WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT SECTOR IN THE DISTRIBUTIVE TRADE, WITH TOTAL ESTIMATED SALES AND OTHER RECEIPTS IN 1977 AMOUNTING TO $67,788 MILLION AND CENSUS VALUE-ADDED, TO $7,623 MILLION.
PURCHASES OF GOODS FOR SALE BY IMPORT/EXPORT ESTABLISHMENTS WERE ESTIMATED AT $59,962 MILLION.
LABOUR COST INCURRED BY THESE ESTABLISHMENTS WAS $1,942 MILLION, INCLUDING PAYROLL AND OTHER BENEFITS TO EMPLOYEES, BUT EXCLUDING WITHDRAWALS BY PROPRIETORS OR PARTNERS OF UNINCORPORATED BUSINESSES. OTHER OPERATING EXPENSES TOTALLED $3,960 MILLION.
THE CENSUS ALSO SHOWED THAT FOR RETAIL TRADE, TOTAL SALES AND OTHER RECEIPTS WERE ESTIMATED TO BE $17,492 MILLION IN 1977, AND CENSUS VALUE-ADDED, $3,486 MILLION.
/PURCHASES