XN000022-1975-02-17 — Page 4

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1975

EMPLOYMENT IN MANUFACTURING ESTABLISHMENTS

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THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE EMPLOYED IN MANUFACTURING ESTABLISHMENTS IN HONG KONG IN THE LAST QUARTER OF 1974 WAS 555,745. THIS REPRESENTED A DECLINE OF 8,122 OR 1.4 PER CENT OVER THE FIGURES FOR THE QUARTER ENDING LAST SEPTEMBER.

TAKING THE YEAR AS A WHOLE, THERE WAS A DROP OF 70,647 IN THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR COMPARED WITH THE FIGURES AT THE END OF 1973.

THE LATEST STATISTICS ARE THE RESULT OF A SURVEY CARRIED OUT BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT. THEY SHOW THAT DURING THE LAST QUARTER OF 1974 THERE WAS A SLIGHT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WORKING IN THE WEARING APPAREL (+2,857) AND TEXTILES (+549) SECTORS. BUT THERE WERE DECLINES IN ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS (-4,757) AND PLASTIC PRODUCTS (-1,073).

THE FIVE MAJOR MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES CONTINUED TO BE WEARING APPAREL, INCLUDING GARMENTS AND KNITWEAR (169,115)- TEXTILES, INCLUDING COTTON WEAVING AND SPINNING (94,699 ELECTRICAL MACHINERY, APPLIANCES AND SUPPLIES (60,9) PRODUCTS (56,121)- AND FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS (4,518).

PLASTIC

COMMENTING ON THE FIGURES A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY THAT THE DECLINE REFLECTED THE CONTINUING DOWNTURN IN THE WORLD ECONOMY, WHICH HAD RESULTED IN AN EASING OF EDMAND FOR HONG KONG PRODUCTS.

ALTHOUGH THE DROP IN THE FOURTH QUARTER WAS ONLY 1.4 PER CENT, COMPARED WITH THE 11 PER CENT FOR THE YEAR AS A WHOLE, IT WAS TOO EARLY TO SAY WHETHER THIS WAS REFLECTING THE BEGINNINGS OF A LEVELLING OFF IN THE DOWNWARD TREND, HE SAID.

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STATISTICS ON THIS NEW BASIS COVERING ALL MANUFACTURING ESTABLISHMENTS KNOWN TO THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT RATHER THAN JUST THOSE REGISTERED WITH OR RECORDED BY THE LADOUR DEPARTMENT WERE FIRST COLLECTED IN THE FOURTH QUARTE» OF 1973. THEY NOW APPEAR REGULARLY IN THE MONTHLY DIGEST OF ST. . 'STICS.

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