TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1984

+ THE QUESTIONNAIRES ARE DESIGNED IN SUCH A WAY THAT

A RECORD-KEEP ING HOUSEHOLD MEMBER WILL HAVE TO SPEND ONLY A FEW MINUTES A DAY TO COMPLETE HIS OR HER PART DURING THE TWO-WEEK PERIOD, + MR GREENFIELD SAID.

AFTER THE MEMBERS HAVE KEPT DAILY RECORDS FOR TWO WEEKS AND PROVIDED OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION, THE HOUSEHOLD WILL RECEIVE A CHEQUE FOR $50 FROM THE DEPARTMENT AS A SMALL TOKEN OF ITS APPRECIATION OF THE IR CO-OPERATION.

MR GREENFIELD APPEALED TO ALL SELECTED HOUSEHOLDS TO CO-OPERATE BY SUPPLYING THE INFORMATION REQUIRED.

HE EMPHASISED THAT THE CPI'S WERE VERY IMPORTANT ECONOMIC INDICATORS AFFECTING BOTH EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES.

+MANY EMPLOYERS USE THEM TO ADJUST THE WAGES AND SALARIES AND VARIOUS KINDS OF LIVING ALLOWANCES OF THE IR EMPLOYEES; GOVERNMENT ALSO USES THEM IN MAKING ECONOMIC ANALYSIS AND IN FORMULATING POLICIES.+

+WE SHOULD ALL HAVE AN INTEREST IN MAKING THEM AS ACCURATE AS POSSIBLE, HE SAID.

MR GREENFIELD ASSURED THE SELECTED HOUSEHOLDS THAT INDIVIDUAL INFORMATION PROVIDED FOR THE SURVEY WILL BE KEPT IN STRICT CONFIDENCE AND WILL NOT BE RELEASED TO ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT IN ANY IDENTIFIABLE FORM.

HE SAID THAT THE HANG SENG BANK HAD AGREED TO CONDUCT SIMULTANEOUSLY A HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE SURVEY TO UPDATE THE HANG SENG CONSUMER PRICE INDEX. ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE BETWEEN HIS DEPARTMENT AND THE BANK TO JOIN HANDS IN CARRYING OUT THE PROJECT.

ANYONE WHO REQUIRES FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE SURVEY MAY TELEPHONE 3-7216558 OR 3-7216534.

$16-MILLION A DAY SPENT ON NEW TOWNS

*****

THE GOVERNMENT WAS SPENDING ABOUT $16 MILLION A DAY ON ITS NE. TOWN BUILDING PROGRAMME, AIMED AT IMPROVING THE LIVING CONDITIONS OF THE PEOPLE, THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, DR NICKY CHAN, SAID TODAY.

SPEAKING AT THE ANNUAL CONGRESS OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION IN PHILADELPHIA DR CHAN SAID THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW TOWNS WAS BUT ONE OF THE MANY TANGIBLE PROOFS OF HONG KONG BEING A PLACE OF GROWTH AND VIBRANT VITALITY+.

/HE SAID

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