XN000022-1974-11-06 — Page 7

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1974.

MAJOR CENSUS OF WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE PLANNED

RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS TO DE INCLUDED

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THE GOVERNMENT IS PLANNING A COMPREHENSIVE CENGUS OF THE WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE, AS WELL AS RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS.

THE CENSUS, SCHEDULED FOR 1976, IS PART OF A LONG-TERM PROGRAMME TO COLLECT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC STATISTICS COVERING ALL ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES SO AS TO PROVIDE A CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT OF THE ECONOMY AND THE 'SECTORAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO EMPLOYMENT, OUTPUT AND INCOME IN HONG KONG.

IT WILL COLLECT INFORMATION RELATING TO THE YEAR 1975 ON EMPLOYMENT, LABOUR COSTS, SALES AND RECEIPTS, CHANCES IN STOCKS AND RATE OF TURNOVER, AND OPERATING COSTS AMONG OTHERS.

ACCORDING TO A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT, THIS SECTOR OF THE ECONOMY ACCOUNTS FOR A LARGE PROPORTION OF THE TOTAL ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IN HONG KONG,

THERE ARE SOME 60,000 WHOLESALE AND RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS, 3,000 RESTAURANTS AND 200 HOTELS AND BOARDING HOUSES. IN 1971, THIS SECTOR EMPLOYED 254,000 PERSONS, WHICH WAS EQUIVALENT TO 16 PER CENT OF TOTAL EMPLOYMENT IN HONG KONG. THE ESTIMATED CONTRIBUTION OF THIS SECTOR. TO THE VALUE OF HONG KONG'S GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT WAS 21 PER CENT OR $4,212 MILLION IN 1972.

BETWEEN JUNE AND AUGUST THIS YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF WHOLESALE AND RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS SO AS TO COMPILE A COMPLETE REGISTER OF THESE ESTABLISHMENTS FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE 1976 CENSUS.

DURING THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, THE DEPARTMENT WILL CARRY OUT A SERIES OF CONSULTATIVE TALKS WITH ESTABLISHMENTS ENGAGING IN WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADES. THE FIRST WILL START ON FRIDAY (NOVEMBER 8) WITH DEPARTMENT STORES. THE PURPOSE OF THESE. TALKS IS TO OBTAIN FROM THESE ESTABLISHMENTS THEIR VIEWS ON THE SUITABILITY OF QUESTIONNAIRES TO BE USED FOR THE CENSUS, THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED.

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS, HE SAID, WOULD BE NOTIFIED IN ADVANCE BY LETTER BEFORE BEING APPROACHED FOR CONSULTATION. THE CONSULTATIONS WOULD BE CONDUCTED BY PROFESSIONAL STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT WHO WILL CARRY A GOVERNMENT IDENTITY CARD WHILE ON DUTY.

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THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE TIME HAD COME FOR HONG KONG TO COLLECT DETAILED STATISTICS RELATING TO THIS SECTOR.

+STATISTICS OF THIS KIND COLLECTED OVER A PERIOD OF TIME WILL NOT ONLY MEASURE CHANGES IN THE VOLUME OF SALES, IN CONSUMER DEMAND. IN SOURCES OF SUPPLY BUT ALSO INDICATE MOVEMENTS IN THE TREND OF EMPLOYMENT, VAGES AND PRODUCTIVITY IN THIS SECTOR OF THE ECONOMY.+

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