XN000022-1980-05-30 — Page 5

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FRIDAY, MAY 30, 1980

HE SAID THAT CLOTHING WAS THE LARGEST SECTOR OF HONG KONG'S MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY. MORE THAN 8 700 ESTABLISHMENTS EMPLOYED OVER 260 000 WORKERS 30 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL WORKFORCE IN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY.

IN TRADE TERMS AND DESPITE QUOTA RESTRICTIONS, CLOTHING EXPORTS AMOUNTED TO HK$19 400 MILLION IN 1979 REPRESENTING NEARLY 35 PER CENT OF OUR TOTAL DOMESTIC EXPORT, HE SAID.

+I DO NOT SUBSCRIBE TO THE VIEW THAT THIS IS AN UNHEALTHY SITUATION AND THAT WE SHOULD THEREFORE DIVERSIFY OUT OF THE GARMENT

INDUSTRY.

+1 BELIEVE THE BEST FORM OF DIVERSIFICATION FOR THE FUTURE WELL-BEING OF HONG KONG'S TRADE WILL BE FOR OTHER INDUSTRIES TO DEMONSTRATE THE DYNAMISM AND VERSATILITY OF THE GARMENT SECTOR AND STRIVE TO KEEP UP WITH IT, SAID MR DORWARD,

AIRCRAFT AIRPORT CHARGES TO GO UP IN JULY

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INCREASES IN LANDING AND PARKING CHARGES FOR AIRLINES USING HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED ON JULY 1.

THE PERCENTAGE RISE, VARYING WITH THE MAXIMUM AUTHORIZED WEIGHT OF INDIVIDUAL AIRCRAFT, WILL BE 15 PER CENT OR LESS.

AT THE SAME TIME, THE ADULT PASSENGER SERVICE CHARGE WILL BE INCREASED FROM $15 TO $20. THE SERVICE CHARGE FOR CHILDREN WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED AT $5.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THE INCREASES WERE MEANT TO COVER HIGHER STAFF AND OPERATIONAL COSTS AS WELL AS TO MEET PART OF THE AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT EXPENSES.

THE CURRENT RATE OF CHARGES FOR LANDING AND PARKING HAVE REMAINED UNCHANGED SINCE 1975, AND FOR PASSENGER SERVICES SINCE 1974.

+THE INCREASES WERE CONFIRMED AFTER LENGTHY DISCUSSIONS AND CONSULTATIONS WITH AIRLINES AND INVOLVED PARTIES, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE REVISED CHARGES FOR THE LANDING OF AIRCRAFT AT KAI TAK AIRPORT WILL RANGE FROM $8 FOR EACH 500 KILOGRAMS FOR SMALLER PLANES OF NOT MORE THAN 50 000 KILOGRAMS IN WEIGHT, TO $1 850 FOR THE FIRST 100 000 KILOGRAMS PLUS $13 FOR EACH ADDITIONAL 500 KILOGRAMS FOR LARGER AIR CARRIERS OF OVER 100 000 KILOGRAMS IN WEIGHT.

THESE CHARGES INCLUDE ONE-AND-ONE-HALF HOURS OF FREE PARKING AT THE AIRPORT FOR PASSENGER AIRCRAFT AND THREE HOURS FOR ALL-CARGO AIRCRAFT IMMEDIATELY AFTER THEIR LANDING.