XN000022-1977-03-09 — Page 3

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9, 1977

+AT PRESENT, ABOUT 50,000 FAMILIES TOTALLING 130,000 PEOPLE ARE RECEIVING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE EVERY MONTH, THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE 70,000 PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING THE INFIRMITY AND DISABILITY ALLOWANCES, HE SAID.

THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME HAD, DURING THE PAST SIX YEARS FULLY DEMONSTRATED ITS VALUE AND EFFECTIVENESS IN HELPING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF POVERTY IN HONG KONG, HE ADDED.

GOVERNOR TO OPEN H.K. FASHION SHOW IN TOKYO

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THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE WILL LEAVE HONG KONG BY AIR THIS SUNDAY (MARCH 13) FOR TOKYO TO OPEN THE HONG KONG FASHION COLLECTIONS 1977+ SHOW THERE ON MARCH 14. HE WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY LADY MACLEHOSE.

THE FASHION SHOW, ORGANISED BY THE HONG KONG TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, WILL BE STAGED AT TOKYO'S IMPERIAL HOTEL AND IS AIMED AT SHOWING THE VERY BEST OF HONG KONG'S TOP FASHION DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING TALENT.

ATTENDING THIS MAJOR FASHION PRESENTATION IN TOKYO WILL BE A DELEGATION OF HONG KONG'S LEADING GARMENT MANUFACTURERS AND EXPORTERS WHO WILL SHOW THE IR NEW SAMPLE RANGES DURING THE FOUR-DAY EXHIBITION AT THE IMPERIAL HOTEL.

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SIR MURRAY AND LADY MACLEHOSE WILL RETURN TO HONG KONG ON MARCH

THE SHOW IN TOKYO FOLLOWS THE CURRENT READY-TO-WEAR FESTIVAL IN HONG KONG, WHICH NOW IN ITS TENTH YEAR, HAS ESTABLISHED ITSELF AS ONE OF THE MAJOR ANNUAL EVENTS IN THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET FOR FASHION GARMENTS. THE LARGEST CONTINGENT OF OVERSEAS BUYERS ATTENDING THE FESTIVAL HERE HAS NORMALLY BEEN FROM JAPAN. IT IS THEREFORE DECIDED TO EXTEND THE FESTIVAL TO JAPAN THIS YEAR.

JAPAN IS THE NINTH LARGEST MARKET FOR HONG KONG EXPORTS OF NON-FUR CLOTHING WITH PURCHASES LAST YEAR TOTALLING MORE THAN $318 MILLION. MOREOVER, IT IS THE TOP BUYERS OF LOCALLY MANUFACTURED FUR PRODUCTION WITH LAST YEAR'S PURCHASES AMOUNTING TO ABOUT $97 MILLION.

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