XN000022-1978-01-16 — Page 2

MONDAY, JANUARY 16, 1978

GOVERNOR STRESSES NEED TO MAINTAIN HK'S GROWTH

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THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, TODAY STRESSED THE NEED TO MAINTAIN HONG KONG'S GROWTH BY ANY MEANS AT OUR DISPOSAL+,

INCLUDING TRADING UP. AND DIVERSIFYING AND BROADENING OUR INDUSTRIAL AND ECONOMIC BASE.

SIR MURRAY EMPHASISED THIS NEED BECAUSE THE PAST YEAR HAS BEEN ONE OF UNCERTAINTY FOR THE TRADING SECTOR AND SEEN A MARKED LURCH TO PROTECTIONISM IN SOME OF OUR MAJOR MARKETS.+

SPEAKING AT THE PRESENTATION OF THE 9TH ANNUAL GOVERNOR'S AWARD FOR HONG KONG DESIGN AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE, SIR MURRAY SAID: +IN THIS SITUATION THE IMPROVEMENT OF DESIGN PROMOTED BY THE HONG KONG DESIGN COUNCIL CAN HELP A GREAT DEAL,+ SIR MURRAY OBSERVED.

HE EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE THAT HONG KONG WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE DESIGN AND QUALITY OF OUR PRODUCTS, AND SAID INDUSTRIAL ISTS WERE AWARE OF THE NEED TO ACHIEVE THIS IN ORDER TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE.

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF SIR MURRAY'S SPEECH:

+ONCE AGAIN WE ARE GATHERED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE EFFORTS OF OUR INDUSTRIALISTS TO ADVANCE THE QUALITY AND DESIGN OF HONG KONG PRODUCTS AND TO IMPROVE OUR IMAGE OVERSEAS.

→THE PAST YEAR HAS BEEN ONE OF UNCERTAINTY FOR THE TRADING SECTOR AND SEEN A MARKED LURCH TO PROTECTIONISM IN SOME OF OUR MAJOR MARKETS. THIS HAS EMPHASISED THE NEED TO MAINTAIN GROWTH BY ANY MEANS AT OUR DISPOSAL, INCLUDING TRADING UP, AND DIVERS IFYING AND BROADENING OUR INDUSTRIAL AND ECONOMIC BASE.

+ IN THIS SITUATION THE IMPROVEMENT OF DESIGN PROMOTED BY THE HONG KONG INDUSTRIAL DESIGN COUNCIL CAN HELP A GREAT DEAL.

+OVER THE TEN YEARS OF THE COUNCIL'S OPERATION, HONG KONG HAS SUCCESSFULLY MOVED AWAY FROM PRODUCING ONLY TO BUYERS' SPECIFICATION, AND NOW MANUFACTURES ORIGINAL PRODUCTS, WHICH INCREASINGLY COMMAND THE RESPECT OF BUYERS ON THE IR OWN MERIT. MANY LOCALLY-DESIGNED PRODUCTS ARE HOLDING THEIR OWN IN THE MOST INDUSTRIALLY ADVANCED COUNTRIES. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE OF OUR GROWTH INDUSTRIES SUCH AS ELECTRONICS AND OPTICAL GOODS.

+1 AM CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE DESIGN AND QUALITY OF OUR PRODUCTS. INDUSTRIALISTS ARE AWARE OF THE NEED TO ACHIEVE THIS IN ORDER TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE. MY VISITS TO FACTORIES HAVE ALSO BROUGHT HOME TO ME HOW MANY YOUNG PEOPLE FROM OUR UNIVERSITIES. THE POLYTECHNIC AND TECHNICAL INSTITUTES ARE JOINING THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY AND THAT MANY HAVE ALREADY MADE VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS IN DESIGN AND ENGINEERING. WE SHALL NO DOUBT SEE MORE GOODS WITH GOOD, ORIGINAL DESIGNS AS INDUSTRIALISTS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE TALENT OF OUR YOUTH.

/+I RATHER