XN000022-1983-12-29 — Page 4

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1983

3

CALENDAR YEAR TO-DATE

JAN.-NOV.

JAN.-NOV.

1983

1982

INCREASE OR

DECREASE

$ MN.

$ MN.

$ MN.

9%

DOMESTIC EXPORTS

(% OF TOTAL EXPORTS)

93 484 (65.1%)

74 641

+18 843

+25.2

(65.2%)

RE-EXPORTS

50 080

39 857

+10 223

+25.6

TOTAL EXPORTS

143 564

114 498

+29 066

+25.4

IMPORTS

156 522

128 849

+27 673

+21.5

TRADE BALANCE

- 12 958

-

14 351

+ 1 393

LAST

12 MONTHS

DEC. 1982

TO NOV. 1983

DEC. 1981

TO NOV. 1982

INCREASE OR

DECREASE

$ MN.

$ MN.

MN.

%

DOMESTIC EXPORTS

101 875

82 423

+19 452

+23.6

RE-EXPORTS

54 576

43 756

+10 820

+24.7

TOTAL EXPORTS

156 451

126 179

+30 272

+24.0

IMPORTS

170 566

141 846

+28 720

+20.2

TRADE BALANCE

-

14 115

- 15 667

+ 1 552

SOCIAL SECURITY RATES TO GO UP

****

THE BASIC SCALE RATES OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND SPECIAL NEEDS ALLOWANCES WILL BE INCREASED BY ABOUT 13 PER CENT FROM FEBRUARY 1 THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY (THURSDAY).

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT PERIODIC REVIEWS OF THE LEVELS OF CASH BENEFITS UNDER THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME WERE CARRIED OUT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MOVEMENT OF THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE INDEX.

+THE PRESENT ADJUSTMENT IS INTENDED TO RESTORE THE REAL VALUE OF THE BASIC RATE OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, HE SAID.

THIS WILL BE THE NINTH INCREASE IN PAYMENT RATES SINCE THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME WAS EXPANDED IN 1972. THE LAST REVISION WAS MADE IN JUNE 1982 WHEN THE BASIC SCALE RATES WERE RAISED BY 29 PER CENT TO MAINTAIN THEIR PURCHASING VALUE.

THE INCREASES WILL MEAN AN ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE OF $160 MILLION FOR A FULL YEAR, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

/THE NEW