XN000022-1984-11-19 — Page 7

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1984

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HK RESTRAINS CORSETRY SALES TO U.K.

玉蓋

AFTER THREE DAYS OF CONSULTATIONS IN BRUSSELS WITH THE

EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY (EEC), HONG KONG HAS, ON THE ADVICE OF THE TEXTILES ADVISORY BOARD, AGREED TO PLACE UNDER QUANTITATIVE RESTRAINT ITS EXPORTS OF CORSETRY TO THE UNITED KINGDOM.

THE PRODUCTS AFFECTED UNDER CATEGORY 86 ARE CORSETS, CORSET- BELTS, SUSPENDER-BELTS, BRACES, SUSPENDERS, GARTERS AND THE LIKE (INCLUDING SUCH ARTICLES OF KNITTED OR CROCHETED FABRIC), OTHER THAN BRASSIERES, WHETHER OR NOT ELASTIC.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRADE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (MONDAY), +IT HAS BEEN AGREED THAT THE QUANTITATIVE RESTRAINT LEVELS FOR EXPORTS TO THE U.K. OF THIS CATEGORY FOR THE DURATION OF THE HONG KONG-EEC AGREEMENT IN 1984 WILL BE LIMITED TO 650 000 PIECES, IN 1985 TO 675 000 PIECES AND IN 1986 TO 708 000 PIECES.

+THE 1984 RESTRAINT LIMIT IS 5.6 PER CENT LARGER THAN THE TOTAL QUANTITY OF EXPORT AUTHORISATIONS ISSUED UP TO THE TIME OF SUSPENSION ON OCTOBER 25.+

A NOTICE TO EXPORTERS ISSUED TODAY GAVE DETAILS OF THE ARRANGEMENTS ON EXPORTS IN THIS CATEGORY FOR THE REMAINDER OF 1984 AND ALLOCATION OF QUOTAS FOR 1985.

THE HONG KONG DELEGATION AT THE CONSULTATIONS IN BRUSSELS ON NOVEMBER 14-16 WAS LED BY THE MINISTER FOR HONG KONG'S COMMERCIAL RELATIONS WITH THE EEC AND THE MEMBER STATES.

MR DEREK JONES. THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR JOSEPH W.S. WONG, ATTENDED AS A MEMBER.

IMPORTANCE OF WELFARE SERVICES STRESSED

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AS HONG KONG HAD BECOME A LEADING MANUFACTURING CENTRE, THE WELFARE NEEDS OF ITS INDUSTRIAL WORKERS SHOULD BE ADEQUATELY PROVIDED FOR, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR JOHN CHAMBERS, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF SHENG KUNG HUT LADY MACLEHOSE CENTRE, HE SAID ONE OF THE ESSENTIALS FOR MAINTAINING HONG KONG'S COMPETITIVENESS WAS TO HAVE A RESOURCEFUL, EFFICIENT AND PRODUCTIVE WORK FORCE.

→THIS CAN ONLY COME ABOUT IF THE WORKERS' WELFARE AND SOCIAL NEEDS ARE CATERED FOR AND IF THEY ARE GIVEN A CHANCE TO DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS, INTEREST AND CAPABILITIES, HE SAID.

JELFARE SERVICES