XN000022-1985-08-02 — Page 13

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 1985

WHEN COMPARED WITH APRIL 1985, CONSUMER DURABLES OTHER THAN MOTOR VEHICLES, SUPERMARKETS AND MOTOR VEHICLES ALL ROSE SIGNIFICANTLY IN BOTH SALES VALUE AND VOLUME. RETAIL SALES OF DEPARTMENT STORES, ON THE OTHER HAND, SHOWED MODERATE INCREASES IN BOTH VALUE AND VOLUME TERMS.

TABLE 1 PRESENTS THE REVISED TOTAL SALES FIGURE FOR APRIL 1985 AND THE PROVISIONAL FIGURE FOR MAY 1985.

TABLE 2 SHOWS THE VALUE AND VOLUME INDEXES OF RETAIL SALES BY MAJOR TRADE GROUPS AND SELECTED TRADES (WHICH FORM PART OF THE RELEVANT MAJOR TRADE GROUPS), WITH AVERAGE MONTHLY RETAIL SALES IN 1980 TAKEN AS 100.

COMPARISONS OF MAY 1985 RESULTS WITH THOSE OF APRIL 1985 AND MAY 1984 AND COMPARISONS OF RETAIL SALES IN THE THREE-MONTH PERIOD MARCH-MAY 1985 WITH THE SAME PERIOD IN 1984 ARE ALSO GIVEN,

GRAPHS 1 AND 2 DEPICT THE INDEX MOVEMENTS OF TOTAL RETAIL SALES FROM JANUARY 1983 TO APRIL 1985.

(TABLES AND GRAPHS WILL BE SENT BY FACSIMILE NETWORK AND BOXED FOR COLLECTION).

THE REPORT CONTAINING THE ANALYSIS OF THE MAY 1985 SURVEY RESULTS IS NOW ON SALE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, GENERAL POST OFFICE, CONNAUGHT PLACE, AT $1 PER COPY.

ENQUIRIES ABOUT THE SURVEY RESULTS MAY BE DIRECTED TO THE WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE STATISTICS SECTION OF THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT (TEL. NO.: 3-7216024).

POLYTECHNIC ENGINEERING DEGREE COURSE APPROVED

*****

THE GOVERNMENT HAS GIVEN THE GO-AHEAD FOR THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC TO INTRODUCE AN ORDINARY BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING DEGREE COURSE IN BUILDING SERVICES ENGINEERING FROM THE 1985-86 ACADEMIC YEAR.

THE ORDINARY DEGREE COURSE WILL BE INTRODUCED IN OCTOBER THIS YEAR AND INITIALLY SHOULD HAVE AN INTAKE OF AROUND 30 STUDENTS. THIS IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE TO 35 NEXT YEAR AND TO 40 THE YEAR AFTER.

IT WILL BE A FOUR-YEAR SANDWICH COURSE WITH A YEAR OF SUPERVISED TRAINING IN INDUSTRY IN THE THIRD YEAR OF THE

PROGRAMME.

/A GOVERNMENT