XN000022-1979-09-18 — Page 7

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1979

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AS FOR THE HIGHER INCOME HOUSEHOLDS, THEY WILL BE COVERED BY THE HANG SENG CONSUMER PRICE INDEX WHICH WILL ALSO BE UPDATED IN A SIMILAR SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE HANG SENG BANK DURING THE SAME PERIOD.

THE HANG SENG CONSUMER PRICE INDEX IS FOR HOUSEHOLDS SPENDING BETWEEN $3 000 AND $9 999 A MONTH AND IT WAS FIRST COMPILED IN 1973 AT THE INVITATION OF THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

THE PURPOSE OF THE TWO SURVEYS, WHICH FORM AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE REVISION PROJECT, IS TO INVESTIGATE THE CONSUMPTION PATTERN OF HOUSEHOLDS IN THE ONE-YEAR PERIOD IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A BASIS FOR UPDATING THE BASKETS OF GOODS AND SERVICES OF THE INDEXES AS WELL AS THE WEIGHTS ATTACHED TO THEM.

MR. GREENFIELD EXPECTED THAT THE HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE SURVEY CONDUCTED BY HIS DEPARTMENT WILL EVENTUALLY INCLUDE SOME 4 000 SELECTED HOUSEHOLDS IN THE URBAN AREAS OF HONG KONG, KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES.

ONE SIGNIFICANT FEATURE, HE ADDED, IS THE INCLUSION IN THE C.P.I'S OF THE URBAN AREAS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES. THE PRESENT C.P.I'S HAVE ONLY COVERED AREAS IN HONG KONG, KOWLOON AND THE NEW KOWLOON,

TO ENSURE THAT SEASONAL PATTERNS OF HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE ARE COVERED, HE ADDED, THE 4000 HOUSEHOLDS INCLUDED IN THE SAMPLE WILL BE SPREAD EVENLY OVER THE 12-MONTH PERIOD OF THE SURVEY.

+EACH HOUSEHOLD IN THE SAMPLE WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE SURVEY FOR A PERIOD OF TWO WEEKS, HE SAID.

THEY WILL NEED TO KEEP A DAILY RECORD, USING STATIONERY PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT, OF THEIR EXPENDITURE FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE WEEKS.

HOUSEHOLDS SELECTED FOR THE SURVEY WILL BE INFORMED BY LETTERS ONE WEEK BEFORE OFFICERS FROM THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT WILL CALL ON THEM TO EXPLAIN THE NECESSARY DETAILS.

THE COMMISSIONER APPEALED TO THESE HOUSEHOLDS TO CO-OPERATE BY SUPPLYING THE INFORMATION REQUIRED SO THAT THE C.P.I'S COULD BE ACCURATELY COMPILED.

HE STRESSED THAT THE INDEXES ARE VERY IMPORTANT ECONOMIC INDICATORS AFFECTING BOTH EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES.

MANY EMPLOYERS, INCLUDING THE GOVERNMENT, HE SAID, USED THEM TO ADJUST THE WAGES AND SALARIES AND VARIOUS KINDS OF LIVING ALLOWANCE FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES.

MR. GREENFIELD ASSURED THAT THE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY INDIVIDUAL HOUSEHOLDS IN THE SURVEY WOULD BE KEPT IN STRICT CONFIDENCE AND IT WOULD BE USED SOLELY FOR PRODUCING TABULATIONS FROM WHICH PARTICULARS COULD NOT BE IDENTIFIED.

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