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WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 1976

JANUARY ISSUE OF MONTHLY DIGEST OF STATISTICS

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A SPECIAL REVIEW ARTICLE ON LOCAL INDUSTRIES IS INCLUDED IN THE JANUARY 1976 ISSUE OF THE HONG KONG MONTHLY DIGEST OF STATISTICS.

IN THE JULY 1975 EDITION OF THE DIGEST, A SIMILAR REVIEW PRESENTED THE OVERALL RESULTS OF THE 1973 CENSUS OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION AND ANALYSED THE SALIENT FEATURES OF HONG KONG INDUSTRIES BY REFERENCE TO LOCATION, OWNERSHIP, PERSONS ENGAGED, WORKING SHIFTS, VALUE ADDED, CAPITAL STOCK, GROSS OUTPUT, MATERIAL INPUT, SALES, EXPORTS AND JOINT VENTURE.

THE CURRENT ARTICLE EXTENDS THE ANALYSES TO INTER-INDUSTRY COMPARISONS OF STRUCTURAL RATIOS AND OF FACTOR PRODUCTIVITY IN THE INDUSTRIES.

ANALYSES CONTAINED IN THE LATEST REVIEW ARE CONFINED TO REPORTING MANUFACTURING ESTABLISHMENTS ENGAGING 20 OR MORE PEOPLE.

THIS CATEGORY OF ESTABLISHMENTS ACCOUNTED FOR 77 PER CENT OF THE MANUFACTURING LABOUR FORCE, 86 PER CENT OF GROSS MANUFACTURING OUTPUT AND 84 PER CENT OF MANUFACTURING VALUE ADDED.

ACCORDING TO THE ARTICLE, OF EVERY UNIT OF OUTPUT, TWO- THIRDS REPRESENTED INPUTS OF GOODS AND SERVICES CONSUMED IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS, AND THE OTHER ONE-THIRD WENT AS PAYMENTS TO PRIMARY FACTORS OF PRODUCTION.

NET OPERATING SURPLUS ESTIMATED AS A PROPORTION OF GROSS OUTPUT WAS 8.3 PER CENT OVERALL.

INDUSTRY GROUPS WITH AN ABOVE AVERAGE NET OPERATING SURPLUS INCLUDED BEVERAGES, TOBACCO, CHEMICALS AND CHEMICAL PRODUCTS, PRINTING AND PUBLISHING, BASIC METAL, TEXTILES, WOOD AND CORK PRODUCTS, FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS AND FOOD MANUFACTURING.

THE ARTICLE ALSO REVEALED THAT ON THE AVERAGE, FIXED ASSETS INSTALLED IN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES WERE CAPABLE OF TURNING OUT GOODS AND SERVICES 5.5 TIMES AND GENERATED INCOME 1.8 TIMES THEIR BOOK VALUE IN A ONE-YEAR PERIOD.

THE RATE OF GROSS CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN MANUFACTURING IN 1973 WAS 15.4 PER CENT OF THE CAPITAL STOCK AT THEIR BOOK VALLI AT THE END OF THAT YEAR.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT SAID THE ANALYSES WERE GROUPED UNDER FIVE HEADINGS INPUT CONTENTS, LABOUR, CAPITAL, MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES; AND FLOOR AREA.

HE ADDED THAT ENQUIRIES SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION STATISTICS SECTION OF THE DEPARTMENT.

THE MONTHLY DIGEST OF STATISTICS IS NOW ON SALE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE AT THE STAR FERRY CONCOURSE, HONG KONG, AT $6 A COPY.

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