XN000022-1979-05-20 — Page 10

SUNDAY, MAY 20, 1979

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1978 SURVEY OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION COMMENCES

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THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT TODAY (SUNDAY) ANNOUNCED THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE 1978 SURVEY OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION, THE SECOND LARGE-SCALE BENCHMARK INDUSTRIAL CENSUS FOLLOWING THE ONE CONDUCTED FOR 1973.

SMALL-SCALE ANNUAL FOLLOW-UP SURVEYS HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED IN THE INTERVENING YEARS, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID.

THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE 1978 SURVEY OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION IS TO COLLECT ECONOMIC DATA WHICH WILL BE OF USE FOR ESTIMATING HONG KONG'S GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT, REVIEWING CHANGES IN OUTPUT MIX OF THE INDUSTRIAL SECTOR AND MAKING COMPARISONS WITHIN AND BETWEEN INDUSTRIES.

SOME 15,000 QUESTIONNAIRES HAVE BEEN SENT TO INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENTS BELONGING TO THE MINING, MANUFACTURING, ELECTRICITY, GAS AND WATER SECTORS, SELECTED FROM AMONG 40,000 ESTABLISHMENTS.

INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENTS ENGAGING 20 OR MORE PEOPLE WILL BE ENUMERATED FULLY WHILE AN EXTENSIVE SAMPLE IS DRAWN FOR THOSE ESTABLISHMENTS ENGAGING LESS THAN 20 PEOPLE.

INFORMATION SOUGHT INCLUDES TYPE OF OWNERSHIP, EMPLOYMENT, WORKING DAYS AND HOURS, OVERTIME WORK, LABOUR COST, CONTRACT AND COMMISSION WORK, MATERIAL PURCHASES, OPERATING EXPENSES, SALES AND INDUSTRIAL SERVICES RENDERED, OTHER INCOMES, STOCKS, CAPITAL EXPENDITURE, DEPRECIATION, VALUE OF FIXED ASSETS, PAID-UP CAPITAL, FLOOR AND SO ON.

+THIS INFORMATION IS INDISPENSABLE FOR STUDYING THE STRUCTURAL CHARACTERISTICS AND PERFORMANCE OF LOCAL INDUSTRIES. DATA OF THIS KIND HAVE BEEN USED EXTENSIVELY FOR PURPOSES OF ANALYSING INDUSTRIAL DIVERSIFICATION, IMPORT SUBSTITUTION AND PRODUCTIVITY CHANGE, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE SURVEY IS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS (SURVEY OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION FOR 1978) ORDER 1978, WHICH WAS MADE BY THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL UNDER THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS ORDINANCE, 1978.

+EVERY INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENT RECEIVING A SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE IS REQUIRED TO FURNISH ACCURATE AND COMPLETE DATA ACCORDING TO THE SPECIFICATIONS GIVEN AND RETURN THE COMPLETED FORM PROMPTLY TO THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT, HE SAID.

IN CASE OF DIFFICULTY, CENSUS OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT ARE AVAILABLE (BY CALLING 5-444716) TO GIVE ASSISTANCE.

THE SPOKESMAN APPEALED TO THE MANAGEMENT OF ALL INDUSTRIAL ESTABLISHMENTS CONCERNED FOR THEIR CO-OPERATION IN THE SURVEY.

HE STRESSED THAT PROMPT ATTENTION TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE WAS ESSENTIAL FOR SPEEDY PROCESSING AND EARLY RELEASE OF SURVEY RESULTS.

UNDER THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS ORDINANCE, INFORMATION RENDERED BY INDIVIDUAL ESTABLISHMENTS WILL BE TREATED AS STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL AND ONLY SUMMARY STATISTICAL TABLES WILL BE PUBLISHED OR RELEASED.

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