XN000022-1976-01-28 — Page 3

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 1976

THE CONTINUED GROWTH OF OUR MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES WILL, IN GENERAL TERMS, ASSURE OUR OVERALL ECONOMIC GROWTH AND MORE ESPECIALLY

IT WILL PROVIDE MOST OF THE NEW JOBS WHICH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE WILL REQUIRE EACH YEAR. NEW FACTORIES WILL CONTINUE TO OPEN IN MANY DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES, A GREAT MANY OF THEM WILL BE PRODUCING ENTIRELY DIFFERENT PRODUCTS TO THOSE WHICH WE NOW MANUFACTURE IN HONG KONG. AT THE SAME TIME, NEW, HIGHER QUALITY AND MORE SOPHISTICATED PRODUCTS LINES WILL CONTINUE TO REPLACE EXISTING LINES IN THE OLDER FACTORIES. THESE DEVELOPMENTS ARE WHAT I MEAN BY DIVERSIFICATION AND THEY WILL COME ABOUT NOT BECAUSE OF ANY EXHORTATION, GENERAL ECONOMIC THEORY OR VAGUE FEARS ABOUT HAVING TOO MANY EGGS IN TOO FEW BASKETS, BUT BECAUSE COMPETITION FROM LOWER COST INDUSTRIALISING COUNTRIES WILL FORCE IT BECAUSE WE ARE CAPABLE OF IT AND BECAUSE IT WILL BE MORE PROFITABLE TO DIVERSIFY

IN THIS WAY.

+ALL OF US IN HONG KONG WILL BENEFIT FROM THESE DEVELOPMENTS. EVERYONE, BUT PARTICULARLY THE YOUNGER GENERATION, ASPIRES TO BETTER WORKING AND LIVING CONDITIONS AND A HIGHER INCOME. IF THE ECONOMY IS TO CONTINUE TO BE VIABLE THIS CAN ONLY COME ABOUT BY PRODUCING AND EXPORTING HIGHER VALUE, MORE TECHNOLOGICAL GOODS WHICH DEMAND HIGHER SKILLS TO MANUFACTURE AND SO PAY HIGHER WAGES TO THE IR EMPLOYEES.+

NEW DIRECTOR OF PROTOCOL

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SIR JOHN CURLE, K.C.V.O.

C.M.G., IS EXPECTED TO ARRIVE IN HONG KONG EARLY IN APRIL TO TAKE UP THE POST OF DIRECTOR OF PROTOCOL.

SIR JOHN, WHO STARTED HIS CAREER IN THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE IN 1944 AFTER WAR SERVICE, WAS UNTIL RECENTLY HEAD OF THE PROTOCOL AND CONFERENCE DÉPARTMENT IN THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE.

HE IS TO SUCCEED BRIGADIER R.G. LEWTHWAITE, C.V.O., 0.B.E., M.C., WHO WILL LEAVE HONG KONG IN MARCH ON COMPLETION OF HIS SERVICE WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. HE HAS BEEN DIRECTOR OF PROTOCOL FOR SIX AND A HALF YEARS.

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