XN000022-1975-10-06 — Page 5

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1975

+WHAT I BELIEVE MAY SURPRISE YOU IS THE RANGE COVERED BY THESE PUBLICATIONS. IF YOU TAKE THE TIME TO LOOK MORE CLOSELY YOU WILL FIND THAT, COLLECTIVELY, THEY REPRESENT A VERITABLE STOREHOUSE OF KNOWLEDGE COMPILED FROM THE WIDE EXPERIENCE OF THE WORLD'S MOST

SA DEVELOPED COUNTRIES. THE PUBLICATIONS YOU SEE AROUND YOU EMBRACE SUCH FIELDS AS ECONOMY AND FINANCE, DEVELOPMENT, AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, ENERGY, INDUSTRY, TRANSPORT AND TOURISM, ENVIRONMENT, MANPOWER AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, EDUCATION AND INFORMATION.

+IN HONG KONG, WE ARE DEPENDENT ON EXTERNAL TRADE AND ON OUR AWARENESS OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE WORLD AT LARGE. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO IGNORE SUCH A FUND OF KNOWLEDGE. WHATEVER OUR INDIVIDUAL ROLE IN HONG KONG AFFAIRS, WHETHER AS BUSINESSMEN,

WHETHER AS BUSINESSMEN, INDUSTRIALISTS, BANKERS, SCIENTISTS, EDUCATORS OR MANAGERS, I VENTURE TO SUGGEST THAT THERE IS VALUABLE READING HERE FOR ALL OF US.

+FOUNDED IN 1960, THE ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT PROMOTES POLICIES TO ACHIEVE HIGH ECONOMIC GROWTH AND EMPLOYMENT, THIS CONTRIBUTING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE WORLD'S ECONOMY AND THE EXPANSION OF WORLD TRADE. ITS MEMBERS INCLUDE THE UNITED KINGDOM, UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, AUSTRIA, BELGIUM, CANADA, DENMARK, FINLAND, FRANCE, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY, GREECE, ICELAND, IRELAND, ITALY, JAPAN, LUXEMBOURG, THE NETHERLANDS,

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NEW ZEALAND, NORWAY, PORTUGAL, SPAIN, SWEDEN, SWITZERLAND AND TURKEY.

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+FORTUNATELY FOR US, ITS PUBLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH TO REASSURE THOSE OF US CONCERNED FOR THE HIGH COST OF BOOKS IN HONG KONG AT THE SAME PRICE CHARGED IN FRANCE, WHERE THEY ARE PUBLISHED. THIS HAPPY CIRCUMSTANCE ARISES FROM OUR UNIQUE STRUCTURE OF DISTRIBUTION THROUGH GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICES, WHICH LAST YEAR ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SALES AND DISTRIBUTION OF GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS AND WHICH THIS YEAR HAS EXTENDED THAT RESPONSIBILITY TO NEW FIELDS.

+1 MIGHT ADD THAT SINCE THE 1ST OF APRIL LAST YEAR THERE HAS BEEN A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN SALES THROUGH THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, DUE IN NO SMALL PART TO THE WIDER ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS ACHIEVED THROUGH THE CREATION OF ADDITIONAL SALES COUNTERS. FOR THE 1974/75 FINANCIAL YEAR, SALES AMOUNTED TO $3.4 MILLION, OR A 57 PER CENT INCREASE OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR, AND SALES UP TO AUGUST THIS YEAR INDICATE AN INCREASE OF 25 PER CENT OVER THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.

+THE MAJOR AIM OF THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE IS TO OFFER CONVENIENCE TO THE PUBLIC IN OBTAINING GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN PRODUCED AND OFFERED IN THE CHEAPEST WAY TO MAKE THEM AVAILABLE TO THE WIDEST POSSIBLE READERSHIP. I AM HAPPY THAT WE SHOULD NOW OFFER THIS SAME FACILITY IN RESPECT OF 0.E.C.D. PUBLICATIONS.+

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