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THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 1980
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT POINTED OUT THAT THE DATA, CBTAINED WITH A MINIMUM TIME LAG IN THE SURVEY, WERE BASICALLY INTENDED TO FACILITATE A QUICK ASSESSMENT OF THE CURRENT ECONOMIC SITUATION IN HONG KONG.
APART FROM A LIMITED NUMBER OF QUESTIONS REQUIRING ANSWERS IN QUANTITATIVE TERMS, FIRMS WERE ASKED TO COMPARE THE QUARTER JUST PAST WITH THE PREVIOUS QUARTER AND SIMILARLY FOR THE FORTHCOMING ONE, AND ONLY HAD TO INDICATE WHETHER, IN THEIR OPINION, A CERTAIN VARIABLE WAS 'UP', 'SAME' OR 'DOWN'.
HE CAUTIONED THAT IN A SURVEY OF THIS NATURE, CONSIDERABLE RESERVATIONS MUST BE MADE IN THE INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS, AS IT WAS DIFFICULT TO ESTABLISH THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE RESPONDENTS' PERCEPTION OF THE PAST AND THE FUTURE ACCORDS WITH THE UNDERLYING TRENDS, AND THE SURVEY RESULTS ARE PROBABLY AFFECTED CONSIDERABLY EY SEASONALITY.
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COPIES OF THE REPORT, CONTAINING STATISTICAL TABLES AND AN. ANALYSIS OF VARIOUS ECONOMIC VARIABLES, HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO FIRMS TAKING PART IN THE SURVEY AND OTHER BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS
WORK STARTS ON NEW SUPREME COURT BUILDING
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WORK IS EXPECTED TO START NEXT MONTH ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW SUPREME COURT BUILDING ON A SITE OFF QUEENSWAY THAT HAS BEEN MADE AVAILABLE BY THE RELEASE OF VICTORIA BARRACKS TO THE GOVERNMENT.
TENDERS WILL BE INVITED TOMORROW (FRIDAY) FOR THE FIRST STAGE OF THE CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMME WHICH INCLUDES SITE FORMATION AND CAISSON WORKS. WORK ON THIS STAGE IS EXPECTED TO TAKE NINE MONTHS TO COMPLETE.
THE 17-STOREY BUILDING WILL COMPRISE A SIX-FLOOR PODIUM AND AN 11-STOREY TOWER BLOCK. PHASE I IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN 1983 AND PHASE 1 ABOUT ONE YEAR LATER.
THE TOWER BLOCK WILL HOUSE 30 COURTS AND ANCILLARY ACCOMMODATION. THE PODIUM, WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY LINK UP WITH A PROPOSED GOVERNMENT OFFICE BLOCK ON AN ADJOINING SITE, WILL PROVIDE PARKING, REGISTRAR'S CHAMBERS, THE SUPREME COURT LIBRARY, THE SUPREME COURT REGISTRY, DIVORCE AND PROBATE REGISTRIES, GENERAL AND PERSONNEL REGISTRIES, ACCOMMODATION FOR THE BAR ASSOCIATION, AND THE LAW SOCIETY AND A HOLDING UNIT FOR THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT.
VEHICULAR ACCESS TO THE BUILDING WILL BE VIA A NEW ACCESS ROAD TO THE SOUTH WHEREAS PEDESTRIAN ACCESS WILL BE FROM QUEENSWAY TO THE NORTH, OPPOSITE ADMIRALTY MTR STATION.
THE OLD SUPREME COURT BUILDING, OFF STATUE SQUARE, IS CURRENTLY THE SUBJECT OF A STRUCTURAL INVESTIGATION FOLLOWING WHICH A DECISION WILL BE MADE ON ITS FUTURE.
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