XN000022-1979-11-08 — Page 7

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1979

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THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT BOTH PROJECTS ARE REGARDED AS PART OF THE PRISON INDUSTRIES' CONTRIBUTION TO THE COMMUNITY. OTHER COMMUNITY PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN BY THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT INCLUDE CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF ROADS, BEACH CLEANING, BUILDING WORK, GRASS CUTTING AND AFFORESTATION.

SINCE 1976, PRISONERS FROM PIK UK PRISON HAD COMPLETED 72 LOCAL WORKS PROJECTS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION. THESE PROJECTS, WHICH COVERED 50 VILLAGES, RANGED FROM GRASS CUTTING TO BUILDING OF RURAL COMMITTEE OFFICE.

LORD GEORGE-BROWN VISITS FACTOR IES

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LORD GEORGE-BROWN, WHO IS CURRENTLY ON A PRIVATE VISIT TO HONG KONG, THIS (THURSDAY) AFTERNOON VISITED TWO FACTORIES IN KWUN TONG.

HE WAS ACCOMPANIED ON THE VISITS BY HIS HOST. CHAIRMAN OF

AND THE COMMISSIONER G. T. MANAGEMENT (ASIA) LTD, MR J. THORNTON" OF INDUSTRY, MR LAWRENCE MILLS.

LORD GEORGE-BROWN SPENT ABOUT AN HOUR AT CROCODILE GARMENTS LTD IN HOI YUEN ROAD.

LTD

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HE LATER VISITED A MOULD AND DIE-MAKING FACTORY

AT HUTCHISON-BOAG INDUSTRIAL BUILDING.

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KRAS ASIA

THE FACTORY, A WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF KRAS CORP AND KRAS/WEST CORP OF USA, WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1973 WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE TRADE, INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT AS PART OF ITS EFFORT TO PROMOTE OVERSEAS INDUSTRIAL INVESTMENT.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRADE, INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT POINTED OUT THAT AT THE END OF LAST YEAR THE GARMENT INDUSTRY EMPLOYED 256 154 PEOPLE IN 8 684 FACTORIES, OR 31 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL EMPLOYMENT IN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.

LAST YEAR, THE VALUE OF DOMESTIC EXPORTS OF GARMENTS WAS ABOUT HK$15 700 MILLION OR 39 PER CENT OF HONG KONG'S TOTAL VALUE OF DOMESTIC EXPORTS FOR THE YEAR, REPRESENTING A 13 PER CENT INCREASE AS COMPARED WITH 1977, HE SAID.

+ IN PARALLEL WITH THE EXPANSION OF THE PLASTICS AND LIGHT METAL INDUSTRIES IN HONG KONG, THE MOULD AND DIE-MAKING INDUSTRY PLAYS AN INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT ROLE BY PROVIDING AN ESSENTIAL SUPPORT SERVICE TO THESE TWO INDUSTRIES, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

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