XN000022-1976-07-29 — Page 2

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THURSDAY, JULY 29, 1976

VAST DATA-COLLECTING PROCESS STARTS TOMORROW

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THE BIG SAMPLE-TAKING OPERATION FOR THE 1976 BY-CENSUS STARTS TOMORROW (FRIDAY) WHEN 2,150 ENUMERATORS WILL SET ABOUT CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS ALL OVER HONG KONG.

A TOTAL OF ABOUT 100,000 HOUSEHOLDS IN THE DISTRICTS OF HONG KONG ISLAND, KOWLOON, NEW KOWLOON AND NEW TERRITORIES HAVE BEEN SELECTED BY A RANDOM PROCESS FOR THIS SAMPLE CENSUS AND THE INTERVIEWS WILL TAKE PLACE FROM JULY 30 TO AUGUST 8.

QUESTIONS INCLUDED IN THE CENSUS QUESTIONNAIRE ARE MAINLY ON HOUSEHOLD COMPOSITION, HOUSING AND RENT, INCOME, LABOUR FORCE, TRANSPORT, EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND OTHER RELATED TOPICS.

+ INFORMATION OBTAINED IS ESSENTIAL FOR FUTURE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT PURPOSES, BUT THE USE OF CENSUS DATA IS NOT CONFINED TO THE GOVERNMENT, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT SAID. +REQUESTS FOR THESE HAVE BEEN CONSTANTLY RECEIVED FROM FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS, INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC BOTH LOCAL AND ABROAD.+

HE URGED THE PUBLIC TO CO-OPERATE BY GIVING ACCURATE ANSWERS, AND PEOPLE INTERVIEWED NEED NOT WORRY ABOUT THE PERSONAL NATURE OF THE QUESTIONS, AS ALL ENUMERATORS ARE UNDER OATH OF SECRECY AND INFORMATION OBTAINED ABOUT ANY INDIVIDUAL OR HOUSEHOLD WILL BE TREATED AS STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.

HE STRESSED THAT CENSUS DATA WOULD NOT BE REVEALED TO ANY PERSON OR BODY OUTSIDE THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT. EACH ENUMERATOR WILL CARRY A CENSUS IDENTITY CARD WHICH HE IS REQUIRED TO PRODUCE WHEN ENTERING PREMISES.

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