XN000022-1980-06-18 — Page 4

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 1980

CENSUS REPORT ON DISTRIBUTIVE TRADE AND SERVI^=

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THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT HAS RECENTLY PUBLISHED A REPORT ON THE FIRST ECONOMIC CENSUS FOR HONG KONG'S WHOLESALE. RETAIL, AND IMPORT/EXPORT TRADES, RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS IN 1977.

THE CENSUS WAS CONDUCTED IN 1978 AND 1979.

THE REPORT PROVIDES BENCHMARK STATISTICS ON THE STRUCTURE, CONDUCT AND PERFORMANCE OF THE DISTRIBUTIVE TRADE AND SERVICE SECTOR.

THE REPORT IS PUBLISHED IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOLUME I CONTAINS DESCRIPTION OF THE BACKGROUND AND METHODOLOGY, INCLUDING SAMPLE DESIGN, STATISTICAL CONCEPTS AND MEASURES USED AND A DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE SALIENT FEATURES OF THIS SECTOR.

ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS VOLUME ARE 13 ANALYTICAL TABLES OF PRINCIPAL STATISTICS AND SEVEN CHARTS.

VOLUME I IS PUBLISHED IN THREE PARTS: PART I FOR WHOLESALE TRADE- PART 2 FOR RETAIL TRADE, RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS- AND PART 3 FOR IMPORT/EXPORT TRADE. EACH PART CONTAINS DETAILED STATISTICS.

ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, 50 392 WHOLESALE, RETAIL AND IMPORT/EXPORT ESTABLISHMENTS, RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS WERE FOUND IN OPERATION IN 1977.

THESE ESTABLISHMENTS ENGAGED 363 365 PERSONS, WITH ESTIMATED TOTAL SALES AND OTHER RECEIPTS OF $108 578 MILLION, CENSUS VALUE ADDED OF $15 454 MILLION, LABOUR COST OF $5 077 MILLION, OPERATING COSTS OF $7 468 MILLION, PURCHASES OF GOODS FOR SALE $92 546 MILLION AND CAPITAL STOCK $6 308 MILLION.

OVER 56 PER CENT OF THE 50 392 OPERATING ESTABLISHMENTS WERE IN RETAIL TRADE WHICH ACCOUNTED FOR 31 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONS ENGAGED. RESTAURANTS, ON THE OTHER HAND, REPRESENTED ONLY SEVEN PER CENT OF THE NUMBER OF ESTABLISHMENTS BUT 28 PER CENT OF TOTAL EMPLOYMENT.

IMPORT/EXPORT AND WHOLESALE TRADES EACH MADE UP 21 PER CENT AND 14 PER CENT RESPECTIVELY OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ESTABLISHMENTS, AND 24 PER CENT AND 12 PER CENT RESPECTIVELY OF TOTAL EMPLOYMENT.

HOTELS AND BOARDING HOUSES ACCOUNTED FOR ONLY ONE PER CENT OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ESTABLISHMENTS AND FIVE PER CENT OF TOTAL EMPLOYMENT.

IMPORT/EXPORT TRADE ACCOUNTED FOR 62 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL VALUE OF SALES AND OTHER RECEIPTS, WHILE WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADES EACH HAD 16 PER CENT, RESTAURANTS, FIVE PER CENT, AND HOTELS/BOARDING HOUSES, ONE PER CENT.

/ON EXPENDITURE,