XN000022-1981-03-18 — Page 3

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 1981

HONG KONG/CANADA TEXTILE CONSULTATIONS ADJOURNED

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MR PETER TSAO, COMMISSIONER OF TRADE, ANNOUNCED TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT THE TEXTILE CONSULTATIONS WITH CANADA, WHICH BEGAN ON MARCH 16, HAD BEEN ADJOURNED.

+THE TWO SIDES DISCUSSED A NUMBER OF ISSUES RELATING TO THE BILATERAL TEXTILE RESTRAINT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CANADA AND HONG KONG, INCLUDING HONG KONG'S EXPORTS OF TAILORED-COLLARED SHIRTS TO CANADA.

IN ANSWER TO QUESTIONS, MR TSAO SAID THE TALKS CENTRED ON CONVERTING THE RESTRAINED AGREEMENT ON TAILORED-COLLARED SHIRTS TO AN EXPORT AUTHOR ISATION TYPE ARRANGEMENT.

+WE AGREED TO ADJOURN THE CONSULTATIONS WITH A VIEW TO POSSIBLY RESUMING THEM IN THE LATTER PART OF APRIL, HE ADDED.

WATER CONSUMER CENTRE OPENS IN TAI PO

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THE WATER SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT'S TAI PO CONSUMER ENQUIRIES CENTRE OPENED FOR BUSINESS TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

THE CENTRE IS THE SECOND OF ITS KIND OPERATED BY THE DEPARTMENT, THE FIRST BEING IN THE HEADQUARTERS AT LEIGHTON CENTRE, LEIGHTON ROAD, CAUSEWAY BAY,

AMONG THE FIRST CONSUMERS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE OFFERED WERE MR AND MRS HO SHU-HING OF LUEN WO MARKET, FANLING.

BOTH WERE HAPPY WITH THE SERVICE RENDERED AND WERE PARTICULARLY IMPRESSED BY THE STAFF OF THE CENTRE WHO WERE +QUICK WITH THEIR REPLIES.+

ANNOUNCING THE OPENING OF THE NEW CONSUMER ENQUIRIES CENTRE. THE BUSINESS MANAGER OF THE WATER SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT, MR TON MCDONOUGH, SAID: THE DEPARTMENT IS CONSCIOUS OF THE NEED TO MAINTAIN GOOD CONSUMER RELATIONS AND HAS EMBARKED ON A PROGRAMME TO FURTHER IMPROVE SERVICES TO MORE THAN 950 000 REGISTERED CONSUMERS.+

A THIRD CONSUMER ENQUIRIES CENTRE WILL BE OPENED AT THE MAINLAND DEPOT, ARGYLE STREET, KOWLOON, IN JUNE THIS YEAR.

THE OPENING OF THE KOWLOON CENTRE COINCIDES WITH THE COMPLETION OF THE PHASED COMPUTERISATION OF ALL WATER ACCOUNTS.

MR MCDONOUGH SAID THE TAI PO CENTRE IS INTENDED TO SERVE CONSUMERS IN THE FAST GROWING TOWNSHIPS OF TAI PO, FANLING/SHEK WU HUI, SHA TIN AND OTHER COMMUNITIES IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE NEW TERRITORIES.

/THE CENTURE