XN000022-1980-03-15 — Page 3

SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 1980

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THE BILLING SCHEDULE FOR BOTH TRADE AND DOMESTIC ACCOUNTS WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED AND ALL REGISTERED CONSUMERS WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THEIR BILLS AT THE USUAL TIME ONCE EVERY FOUR MONTHS.

THE SPOKESMAN ALSO URGED DOMESTIC CONSUMERS RECEIVING THE IR NEW BILLS IN THE COMPUTERISED FORMAT TO CHECK, IN THEIR OWN INTEREST, THE CORRECTNESS OF THE NAME AND POSTAL ADDRESS' AND THE 'SERVICE ADDRESS' AND TO QUOTE THE NEW ACCOUNT NUMBER IN ALL CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE WATER SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT CONCERNING THEIR WATER BILLS.

FERTILITY TRENDS IN HONG KONG

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DESPITE A LARGE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF WOMEN IN THE MORE FERTILE AGE GROUP IN THE 1970S, THERE WAS STILL A GRADUAL DECLINE IN THE BIRTH RATE IN HONG KONG.

THIS OBSERVATION IS MADE IN A SPECIAL REVIEW ARTICLE ON +RECENT TRENDS IN FERTILITY IN HONG KONG+ IN THE

DECEMBER 1979 ISSUE OF THE HONG KONG MONTHLY DIGEST OF STATISTICS.

THE ARTICLE GIVES A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE TREND IN THE BIRTH RATE SINCE 1971 AND IDENTIFIES THE FACTORS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH ITS DECLINE.

THE DECLINE IN THE CRUDE BIRTH RATE, WHICH WAS VERY RAPID IN THE SIXTIES, BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN IN THE SEVENTIES. AS THE LARGE NUMBER OF BABIES BORN IN THE LATE FIFTIES AND EARLY SIXTIES MOVED UP THE AGE LADDER THE NUMBER OF WOMEN IN THE MORE FERTILE AGE GROUP, 20-29, INCREASED TREMENDOUSLY IN THE SEVENTIES.

THE EFFECT OF THIS HAS BEEN TO INCREASE, INSTEAD OF LOWER THE BIRTH RATE. HOWEVER, A GRADUAL DECLINE IN THE BIRTH RATE WAS STILL OBSERVED AS THIS INCREASE WAS MORE THAN COUNTERBALANCED BY THE DECLINE IN THE LEVEL OF FERTILITY WHICH HAS BECOME MORE AND MORE SIGNIFICANT SINCE 1971.

THE CONTINUED AND SUSTAINED DECLINE IN FERTILITY IS THE RESULT OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CHANGES THAT HONG KONG HAS UNDERGONE DURING THE PAST TWO DECADES. RAPID INDUSTRIALIZATION AND URBANIZATION, IMPROVEMENT IN THE STATUS OF AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN, BETTER EDUCATION AND OTHER REASONS ALL HELP TO DEVELOP THE GROWTH OF INDIVIDUAL ASPIRATIONS AND INDUCE THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS TO TAKE A MORE POSITIVE ATTITUDE TOWARDS SMALLER FAMILY SIZE.

THE DECEMBER 1979 ISSUE OF THE MONTHLY DIGEST IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR SALE IN THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE IN THE GPO BUILDING AT CONNAUGHT PLACE.

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