XN000022-1974-09-18 — Page 9

8

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1974

GOVERNOR SEES TEXTILE FINISHING INDUSTRY AT WORK

********

THE PRODUCTION OF FINISHED FABRICS FOR USE IN HONG KONG'S GARMENT INDUSTRY WAS VIEWED AT CLOSE QUARTERS BY THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, TODAY WHEN HE VISITED A BIG TEXTILE FACTORY AT TSUEN WAN.

ACCOMPANIED BY THE DIRECTOR OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, MR. DAVID JORDAN, HE MADE A SHOP-FLOOR TOUR OF THE MANUFACTURING FACILITIES AT THE CHINA DYEING WORKS, CASTLE PEAK ROAD.

DURING THE PAST 25 YEARS THE COMPANY HAS DEVELOPED FROM A SMALL CONCERN EMPLOYING ABOUT 60 WORKERS INTO A GROUP ENTERPRISE WHICH HAS A LOCAL LABOUR FORCE OF MORE THAN 1,000 AND A PRODUCTION CAPACITY OF SEVEN TO EIGHT MILLION YARDS OF FABRICS A MONTH.

WHICH ALLOW

THE

AS WELL AS TWO SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES IN HONG KONG A COMPLETE VERTICAL LINE OF PRODUCTION FROM YARN TO GARMENT GROUP HAS MANUFACTURING PLANTS OVERSEAS.

PLANS HAVE BEEN DRAWN UP TO ESTABLISH A NEW FACTORY IN HONG KONG TO WIDEN LOCAL PRODUCTION ACTIVITIES. THIS WOULD PROVIDE JOBS FOR ANOTHER 300 WORKERS.

SIR MURRAY WAS SHOWN ROUND THE TSUEN WAN FACTORY BY MR. CHA CHI-MING, CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING DIRECTOR OF CHINA DYEING WORKS LTD. THE PARTY ALSO INCLUDE OTHER SENIOR OFFICIALS OF THE COMPANY AND MR. K.H. YEUNG, FROM THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT.

STATISTICS COMPILED EARLIER THIS YEAR SHOWED THAT A TOTAL OF 436 LOCAL CONCERNS WERE ENGAGED IN THE TEXTILE FINISHING INDUSTRY. THE LABOUR FORCE TOTALLED 13,429, ACCOUNTING FOR OVER 14 PER CENT OF EMPLOYMENT IN THE TEXTILE FIELD.

THE FINISHING SECTOR PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN HONG KONG'S EXPORT DRIVE, SUPPLY ING FABRICS FOR USE IN LOCAL GARMENT-MAKING FACTORIES. EXPORT EARNINGS FROM CLOTHING LAST YEAR TOTALLED $7,454 MILLION, ACCOUNTING FOR 38 PER CENT OF OVERALL DOMESTIC EXPORTS.

SOME FINISHED FABRICS ARE ALSO EXPORTED OVERSEAS SALES LAST YEAR WERE VALUED AT MORE THAN $800 MILLION, AND THE MAIN MARKETS WERE AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, BRITAIN, TAIWAN AND SINGAPORE.

WATER CUT ****

WATER SUPPLY TO A NUMBER OF PREMISES IN MONG KOK WILL BE INTERRUPTED FOR FIVE HOURS ON FRIDAY (SEPTEMBER 20) STARTING FROM 1 A.M.

THE TEMPORARY STOPPAGE IS TO FACILITATE A TEST FOR LEAKAGE IN THE AREA.

AFFECTED WILL BE PREMISES BOUNDED BY NATHAN ROAD, DUNDAS STREET, SHANGHAI STREET AND SHAN TUNG STREET.

i

1