XN000022-1981-10-01 — Page 3

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1981

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MOST MANUFACTURERS SURVEYED DID NOT, HOWEVER, ENVISAGE MUCH CHANGE IN THE IR LABOUR RECRUITMENT SITUATION.

PRODUCTION CAPACITY, AS MEASURED BY MACHINERY INSTALLATIONS AND FACTORY FLOOR SPACE, SHOULD EXPAND BY ABOUT FIVE PER CENT IN 1981 ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURERS SURVEYED. THEY EXPECTED TO UTILISE 86 PER CENT OF THE IR TOTAL CAPACITY ON THE AVERAGE DURING THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR.

SIXTY-TWO LEADING CONTRACTORS IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR WERE ALSO INCLUDED IN THE SURVEY.

THE IR EMPLOYMENT WAS EXPECTED TO INCREASE BY NINE PER CENT IN THE SECOND HALF OF 1981 COMPARED WITH THE SECOND HALF OF 1980, WHILE BUILDING MATERIAL PRICES WERE EXPECTED TO RISE BY NINE PER CENT AND THE WAGE RATES OF OPERATIVES BY 12 PER CENT. THE CONTRACTORS SURVEYED EXPECTED TO EXPAND THE CAPACITY OF THEIR MACHINERY BY 13 PER CENT DURING 1981,

A REPORT ON THE MID-YEAR SURVEY OF ECONOMIC PROSPECTS WILL BE ON SALE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, GENERAL POST OFFICE BUILDING, HONG KONG, AT $2 A COPY TOMORROW. ENQUIRIES ABOUT THE SURVEY RESULTS MAY BE MADE TO THE INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTIONS STATISTICS SECTION OF THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT (AT 3-7221914).

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN HONG KONG TRADE STATISTICS SYSTEM

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A SPECIAL REVIEW ARTICLE ON +RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN HONG KONG TRADE STATISTICS SYSTEM+ IS CONTAINED IN THE JULY 1981 ISSUE OF THE HONG KONG MONTHLY DIGEST OF STATISTICS.

AS HONG KONG TRADE STATISTICS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE ECONOMIC STATISTICS SYSTEM, A HIGH PRIORITY IS. PLACED BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT ON THEIR EFFECTIVE PRODUCTION AND TIMELY RELEASE.

THE ARTICLE DESCRIBES IN DETAIL RECENT DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN IMPROVING THE COMPLETENESS, RELIABILITY, TIMELINESS AND INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY OF TRADE STATISTICS, AND IN PROVIDING BETTER MEASURES OF CHANGES IN TRADE VALUES, PRICES AND VOLUMES.

THE BASIC DOCUMENTS USED IN PROCESSING AND COMPILING TRADE STATISTICS ARE TRADE DECLARATIONS AND CARGO MANIFESTS.

UNDER THE IMPORT AND EXPORT (REGISTRATION) REGULATIONS IMPORTERS AND EXPORTERS ARE REQUIRED TO LODGE WITH THE TRADE, INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT ACCURATE AND COMPLETE IMPORT AND EXPORT/RE-EXPORT DECLARATIONS WITHIN 14 DAYS AFTER THE IMPORTATION OR EXPORTATION OF THE GOODS, AND SIMILARLY, SHIPPING AND AIRLINE COMPANIES AND AGENTS ARE REQUIRED TO LODGE ACCURATE AND COMPLETE CARGO MANIFESTS WITHIN SEVEN DAYS AFTER THE ARRIVAL OR DEPARTURE OF THE CARRIERS.

/A PENALTY