XN000022-1985-07-06 — Page 4

SA

JULY 6, 1985

HE URGED THOSE HOUSEHOLDS SELECTED FOR INTERVIEWS IN THE COMING THREE MONTHS TO CO-OPERATE BY SUPPLYING HIS STAFF WITH THE REQUIRED INFORMATION.

+AT THE SAME TIME, A SHORT QUESTIONNAIRE HAS BEEN LEFT WITH EACH HOUSEHOLD THAT TOOK PART IN THE SURVEY BETWEEN APRIL AND JUNE, SEEKING INFORMATION ABOUT EXPENDITURES ON SELECTED INFRÉQUENTLY-PURCHASED COMMODITIES AND SERVICES,+ THE SPOKESMAN

SAID.

HE REMINDED THESE HOUSEHOLDS TO COMPLETE THE QUESTIONNAIRE AND RETURN IT TO THE DEPARTMENT BY WEDNESDAY (JULY 10).

+ANYONE HAVING DIFFICULTY COMPLETING THE QUESTIONNAIRE CAN RING US ON 3-7225054 DURING OFFICE HOURS FOR CLARIFICATION, HE SAID.

THE DATA COLLECTED SO FAR IS BEING PROCESSED ON A COMPUTER SYSTEM SPECIALLY DEVELOPED FOR THIS PURPOSE.

BASED ON THE FULL RESULTS OF THE SURVEY, WHICH WILL BE AVAILABLE EARLY NEXT YEAR, A NEW SERIES OF CONSUMER PRICE INDEXES WILL BE PRODUCED.

J

PRAISE FOR CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES ****

THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, DR JOHN RIDDELL- SWAN, THIS (SATURDAY) EVENING PAID TRIBUTE TO MEMBERS AND OFFICIALS OF LOCAL CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS THE SUCCESS OF THE CO-OPERATIVE MOVEMENT IN HONG KONG.

IN THE PAST YEAR, ALL THE WIDELY DIFFERING SPHERES OF

CO-OPERATIVE ACTIVITIES PROSPERED, HE SAID.

DR RIDDELL-SWAN, WHO IS ALSO THE REGISTRAR OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES, WAS ADDRESSING A DINNER GATHERING OF REPRESENTATIVES OF LOCAL CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES CELEBRATING THE 63RD INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATIVE DAY,

+F ARMERS' CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES PLAYED A VALUABLE PART IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF AGRICULTURAL CREDIT, HE SAID.

+OF THE TOTAL OF $18.3 MILLION LOANED TO FARMERS FROM THE LOAN FUNDS ADMINISTERED BY THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT, IN 1984-85 NEARLY ONE QUARTER WAS CHANNELLED THROUGH THESE SOCIETIES.+

DURING THE SAME PERIOD, THE DEPARTMENT ALSO ISSUED $13.6 MILLION IN CREDIT TO FISHERMEN FROM ITS LOAN FUNDS.

/DR RIDDELL-SWAN