XN000022-1977-02-07 — Page 9

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1977

CENSUS OF WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADES, RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS ******

THE GOVERNMENT IS PLANNING A COMPREHENSIVE CENSUS OF THE WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADES, AS WELL AS RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS.

THE CENSUS, SCHEDULED FOR 1978 IN RESPECT OF THE YEAR 1977, IS PART OF A LONG-TERM PROGRAMME TO COLLECT COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC STATISTICS COVERING ALL ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES SO AS TO PROVIDE A CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT OF THE ECONOMY AND THE SECTORAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO EMPLOYMENT, OUTPUT AND INCOME IN HONG KONG. THE FIRST CENSUS IN THIS PROGRAMME WAS THE ONE ON INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION CARRIED OUT IN 1973.

THE FORTHCOMING CENSUS WILL COLLECT INFORMATION ON EMPLOYMENT, LABOUR COST, SALES AND RECEIPTS, PURCHASES, OPERATING COSTS, STOCKS AND CAPITAL EXPENDITURE.

THERE ARE ABOUT 56,000 IMPORT AND EXPORT, WHOLESALE AND RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS, 3,500 RESTAURANTS AND 800 HOTELS AND BOARDING HOUSES EMPLOYING A TOTAL OF 366,000 PEOPLE. IN 1971 THIS SECTOR EMPLOYED 254,000 PEOPLE ACCOUNTING FOR 16 PER CENT OF TOTAL EMPLOYMENT IN HONG KONG.

THE CONTRIBUTION OF THIS SECTOR TO HONG KONG'S GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 22.3 PER CENT OR $6,919 MILLION IN 1973.

DURING THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT WILL CARRY OUT A SERIES OF CONSULTATIONS WITH TRADE ASSOCIATIONS AND ESTABLISHMENTS IN THE WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADES, RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS.

THE PURPOSE OF THESE CONSULTATIONS IS TO SEEK VIEWS ON THE SUITABILITY OF QUESTIONNAIRES TO BE USED FOR THE CENSUS.

A SPOKESMAN OF THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT SAID THAT BEFORE BEING APPROACHED FOR CONSULTATION TRADE ASSOCIATIONS AND ESTABLISHMENTS WOULD BE ADVISED IN ADVANCE BY LETTER. EXPERIENCED STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT, EACH BEARING A GOVERNMENT IDENTITY CARD, WILL THEN VISIT THE SELECTED ESTABLISHMENTS,

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