THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 1984
PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATION WAS BEING GIVEN TO THESE ISSUES IN CHAMBERS, BUT IT WAS FAR TOO EARLY FOR HIM TO SEE WHETHER CHANGES IN THE LAW SHOULD BE MADE, OR IS IF SO, WHAT FORM THESE CHANGES SHOULD TAKE, MR THOMAS SAID.
TOUCHING ON SEXUAL HARASSMENT AT WORK, AS THE LAST MATTER IN HIS TALK. MR THOMAS SAID IT WAS +A FORM OF BEHAVIOUR WHICH MUST BE DISCOURAGED.+
+CERTAIN ACTS WHICH ARE PROBABLY OFFENCES WITHIN THE CRIMINAL LAW. QUESTIONING WOMEN ABOUT ASPECTS OF THE IR PRIVATE LIFE, AND REQUESTS FOR SEXUAL FAVOURS IN EXCHANGE FOR ADVANCEMENT ARE ALL SEEN AS SEXUAL HARASSMENT, MR THOMAS SAID.
HE SAID THAT THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF WOMEN WAS UNDERTAKING A SURVEY OF THE MATTER.
HE WAS INTERESTED TO KNOW THE RESULT OF THE SURVEY AND THAT IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM, HE WOULD CONSIDER WHAT COULD BE DONE ABOUT IT.
BUSINESS SURVEY RESULTS RELEASED
******
FIRMS IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN BUSINESS IN THE SECOND QUARTER OF 1984, ACCORDING TO SURVEY RESULTS RELEASED TODAY BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.
THIS ACCORDS WITH THEIR EXPECTATIONS REFLECTED IN THE PREVIOUS QUARTER SURVEY.
FIRMS IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR WHICH HAD EXPECTED SOME RECOVERY IN BUSINESS IN THE LAST SURVEY REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO IMPROVEMENT IN BUSINESS IN THE SECOND QUARTER.
THE BUSINESS PERFORMANCE OF FIRMS IN THE WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE, RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS' SECTOR VARIED AMONG DIFFERENT TRADES BUT ON BALANCE, A STABLE BUSINESS SITUATION WAS EXPERIENCED IN THE SECOND QUARTER.
AS REGARDS FIRMS IN THE OTHER SERVICES SECTOR, A GENERAL IMPROVEMENT IN BUSINESS WAS EXPERIENCED BY FIRMS ACROSS DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES.
RESPONDENTS IN THE MANUFACTURING' "WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE, RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS AND OTHER SERVICES SECTORS ARE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE BUSINESS OUTLOOK FOR THE THIRD QUARTER OF 1984.
/FAVOURABLE BUSINESS