XN000022-1977-10-13 — Page 3

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1977

+FOR INSTANCE THE STANDARDS AND TESTING CENTRE WAS AN IMAGINATIVE INNOVATION AND HAS PROVED A GREAT SUCCESS, AND IS ABLE TO PROVIDE A MAJOR SERVICE AT A TIME WHEN ALL OUR MAJOR MARKETS ARE INSISTING ON HIGHER STANDARDS.

+SIMILARLY THE INDUSTRIAL DESIGN COUNCIL AND THE PACKAGING COUNCIL HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE IMPROVEMENTS IN QUALITY, DESIGN AND PACKAGING OF HONG KONG PRODUCTS APPARENT IN RECENT YEARS.

+THEY HAVE DONE MUCH TO BRING TO OUR MANUFACTURERS, PARTICULARLY SMALL COMPANIES, A KNOWLEDGE OF IMPROVED TECHNIQUES.

+THEY HAVE FURTHERMORE ENCOURAGED AWARENESS OF DESIGN

IN THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WISH TO PURSUE A CAREER IN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY.

+AGAIN THE FEDERATION HAS SET ITSELF TO IMPROVE TECHNIQUES IN MANAGEMENT. THE HONG KONG MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION IS NOW FULLY INDEPENDENT OF THE FEDERATION, BUT IT WAS THE FEDERATION'S CREATION.

+ IT IS BY A RECORD OF SUCH PRACTICAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE SUPPORT AND EVOLUTION OF HONG KONG INDUSTRY THAT THE FEDERATION WILL RETAIN THE INTEREST OF ITS MEMBERS, THE RESPECT OF THE PUBLIC AND THE GOVERNMENT, AND IF I MIGHT SAY SO THE RIGHT TO A RESPECTFUL HEARING IN MATTERS CONCERNING THE FUTURE OF INDUSTRY IN OUR CITY.

+THERE IS NO VOICE SO LOUD AND EFFECTIVE AS THE VOICE OF SERVICES RENDERED THAT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.

+AS YOUR CHAIRMAN HAS SAID HONG KONG IS AN EVOLVING ECONOMY THAT HAS CHANGED IN CHARACTER AND COMPOSITION VERY FAST DURING THE LAST 20 YEARS. ONE MIGHT EVEN SAY THAT THE ONLY CONSISTENTLY CONSTANT ELEMENT - ON AVERAGE OVER THE YEARS

ON AVERAGE OVER THE YEARS - HAS BEEN GROWTH OF STARTLING RAPIDITY, GROWTH WHICH HAS BROUGHT A GREAT INCREASE IN THE STANDARD OF LIVING, ACCUMULATION OF WEALTH, EXPANDED PRODUCTIVE CAPACITY, AND GREAT CHANGES IN NOT ONLY THE APPEARANCE OF OUR CITY, BUT IN WHAT IT HAS TO OFFER ITS INHABITANTS,

+AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF EXPANSION IN OTHER INDUSTRIES, AND OF THE CAPACITY FOR ADAPTATION AND TRADING UP IN THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY, IT WOULD BE MISLEADING TO OVER-DRAMATISE THE PROBELM POSED BY INCREASING RESTRICTIONS ON OUR TEXTILE EXPORTS. BUT THE TIME IS CERTAINLY RIPE TO CONSIDER WHAT CAN BE DONE TO FACILITATE A WIDER AND LESS VULNERABLE INDUSTRIAL BASE AND ECONOMY.

+FOR THIS REASON I HAVE ANNOUNCED THAT A SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON DIVERSIFICATION WILL START WORK UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, AND ITS MEMBERSHIP AND TERMS OF REFERENCE WILL BE ANNOUNCED VERY SHORTLY.

/+IT IS DISAPPOINTE

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