XN000022-1984-01-02 — Page 3

MONDAY, JANUARY 2, 1984,

SURVEY SEEKS ECONOMIC, SOCIAL INFORMATION

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LETTERS ARE BEING SENT BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT TO SEVERAL THOUSAND HOUSEHOLDS SELECTED THROUGHOUT ALL DISTRICTS IN HONG KONG IN CONNECTION WITH A GENERAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY.

THE PURPOSE OF THE LETTERS IS TO SEEK THE HOUSEHOLDERS' COOPERATION AND PARTICIPATION IN THE SURVEY BEING CARRIED OUT TO OBTAIN THE LATEST INFORMATION ON THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE POPULATION, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT EXPLAINED TODAY.

INFORMATION BEING SOUGHT WILL INCLUDE PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE POPULATION, SUCH AS AGE, SEX AND EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, AS WELL AS LABOUR FORCE CHARACTERÍSTICS, SUCH AS ACTIVITY STATUS, HOURS OF WORK, INDUSTRY, AND OCCUPATION, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE SURVEY STARTED IN AUGUST 1981 AND IS CARRIED OUT ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS BY THE PERMANENT FIELD STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT.

A RANDOM SAMPLE OF SOME 6 000 HOUSEHOLDS IS SELECTED THROUGHOUT ALL DISTRICTS IN HONG KONG FOR PARTICIPATION IN EACH MONTHLY SURVEY. ABOUT HALF OF THE HOUSEHOLDS WERE INTERVIEWED THREE MONTHS EARLIER AND ARE SELECTED AGAIN IN ORDER TO MEASURE MORE ACCURATELY THE CHANGES THAT HAVE OCCURRED SINCE THEN.

ASSISTANT CENSUS AND SURVEY OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT, EACH HOLDING A DEPARTMENTAL IDENTITY CARD WILL VISIT THE SAMPLE HOUSEHOLDS TO COLLECT THE REQUIRED INFORMATION.

ALL INFORMATION COLLECTED IN THE SURVEY WILL BE TREATED AS STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL AND WILL NOT BE REVEALED TO ANY PERSON OR ORGANISATION OUTSIDE THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT, THE SPOKESMAN STRESSED.

VALUE OF GOOD LABOUR TIES STRESSED

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN MODERN SOCIETY IS BASED ON GOOD LABOUR RELATIONS, THE TSUEN WAN DISTRICT COMMISSIONER, MR ADOLF HSU, SAID TONIGHT (MONDAY).

HE SAID THAT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS WAS CLOSE ALTHOUGH THE PARTIES MIGHT HAVE CONFLICTING VIEWS DUE TO DIFFERENT INTERESTS.

+MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING AND COMPROMISE IS THE WAY TO SOLVE THESE CONFLICTING VIEWS.

+ BELIEVE THE TSUEN WAN DISTRICT BOARD'S INDUSTRIAL COMMITTEE AND GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS THIS END, SO THAT TSUEN WAN WILL SET AN EXAMPLE TO OTHER NEW TOWNS IN THE PROMOTION OF GOOD LABOUR RELATIONS, HE SAID.

/MR ASU