XN000022-1979-03-09 — Page 4

FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 1979

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+THEREFORE, BASED ON THIS PERCENTAGE, THE EXISTING WAGE CEILING FOR NON-MANUAL WORKERS SHOULD BE RAISED TO PROVIDE COVERAGE AGAIN FOR THOSE WHO HAVE EITHER BECOME DISENFRANCHISED' DUE TO COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS IN WAGES OVER THIS PERIOD OR WHO ARE LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED IN THE NEAR FUTURE BECAUSE OF PERIODIC WAGE ADJUSTMENTS, HE SAID.

THE LAST INCREASE IN THE WAGE CEILING UNDER THE ORDINANCE WAS IN APRIL 1974 WHEN IT WAS RAISED FROM $1,500 TO $2,000 PER MONTH.

HK OFFICIALS TO MEET IN LONDON

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THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE, INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS MR. DAVID JORDAN LEFT FOR LONDON TODAY (FRIDAY) TO HOLD HIS ANNUAL LIAISON MEETING WITH HONG KONG'S REPRESENTATIVES OVERSEAS.

THE TWO-DAY MEETING WILL COVER A WIDE RANGE OF SUBJECTS WHICH FALL WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT'S SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITIES. ATTENDING THE MEETING WILL BE HONG KONG OFFICIALS FROM THE LONDON, BRUSSELS, GENEVA AND WASHINGTON OFFICES.

ALSO ATTENDING WILL BE HONG KONG'S DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR. LAWRENCE MILLS WHO WENT TO EUROPE LAST MONTH TO RESUME TALKS WITH THE UNITED STATES AND SWEDISH OFFICIALS ON HONG KONG'S EXPORTS OF TEXTILES.

WHILE IN LONDON, MR. JORDAN WILL MEET THE BRITISH SECRETARY OF STATE FOR TRADE, MR. JOHN SMITH AND OTHER OFFICIALS OF THE DEPARTMENTS OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY.

DURING THE WEEK-LONG VISIT, MR. JORDAN WILL ALSO ADDRESS A JOINT MEETING OF THE ANGLO-HONG KONG AND TEXTILES PARLIAMENTARY GROUPS. HE WILL ALSO HAVE TALKS WITH THE BRITISH TEXTILE CONFEDERATION AND THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE COMMONWEALTH SECRETARIAT.

FROM LONDON HE WILL TRAVEL TO GENEVA TO CALL ON THE HONG KONG PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE THERE, THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE GENERAL AGREEMENT OF TARIFFS AND TRADE (GATT) AND THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT (UNCTAD).

FROM GENEVA MR. JORDAN WILL GO TO BRUSSELS WHERE HE WILL MEET THE EEC VICE-PRESIDENT, MR. WILHELM HAFEKAMP AND THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF EXTERNAL RELATIONS, SIR ROY DENMAN, BOTH OF WHOM VISITED HONG KONG LAST OCTOBER.

MR. JORDAN WILL VISIT WASHINGTON FOR FURTHER TALKS BEFORE RETURNING TO HONG KONG ON MARCH 26.

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