XN000022-1985-10-14 — Page 4

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1985

THE UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNDEREMPLOYMENT STATISTICS WERE OBTAINED FROM A CONTINUOUS GENERAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY (GHS) CONDUCTED BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT. THIS SURVEY COVERS A QUARTERLY SAMPLE OF SOME 14 000 HOUSEHOLDS OR 52 000 PERSONS, SELECTED SCIENTIFICALLY TO REPRESENT THE LAND-BASED CIVILIAN NON-INSTITUTIONAL POPULATION IN HONG KONG.

PERSONAL AND LABOUR FORCE DATA WERE OBTAINED IN THE SURVEY BY INTERVIEWING EACH INDIVIDUAL MEMBER AGED 15 AND ABOVE IN THE HOUSEHOLDS SAMPLED.

IN THE SURVEY, THE DEFINITIONS USED IN MEASURING UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNDEREMPLOYMENT FOLLOW CLOSELY THOSE RECOMMENDED BY THE ILO.

THE COMMISSIONER ALSO SAID THAT TO CONFORM TO THE LATEST STANDARDS RECOMMENDED BY THE ILO, THE GHS DEFINITIONS OF +UNEMPLOYMENT+ AND +UNDEREMPLOYMENT+ HAD BEEN MODIFIED SINCE JANUARY 1985. HOWEVER, A COMPLETE CONVERSION WILL ONLY BE INTRODUCED IN MAY 1986 WHEN A SUFFICIENTLY LONG SERIES OF THE STATISTICS UNDER THE NEW DEFINITIONS IS AVAILABLE. USING THE NEW DEFINITIONS THE SEASONALLY ADJUSTED UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR JUNE - AUGUST 1985 WAS 3.2 PER CENT, AND THE UNDEREMPLOYMENT RATE WAS 2.0 PER CENT.

DETAILED ANALYSIS OF LABOUR FORCE CHARACTERISTICS IS GIVEN IN THE REPORT ON THE GENERAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY WHICH IS PUBLISHED FOUR TIMES A YEAR. THE NEXT REPORT, COVERING THE QUARTER ENDING SEPTEMBER 1985, WILL BE ON SALE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE IN DECEMBER.

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MISSION TO NORTH AMERICA A SUCCESS

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CHEONG-LEEN

THE URBAN COUNCIL'S DUAL MISSION TO NORTH AMERICA HAD BEEN A SUCCESS ON ALL THREE FRONTS IN UPDATING COUNCILLORS ON THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN CITY SERVICES, IN ENABLING A LOOK-AND-LEARN PARTY TO SEE THE VERY LATEST IN MUSEUM DEVELOPMENTS, AND IN FURTHER CEMENTING TIES BETWEEN HONG KONG AND NORTH AMERICA.

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE URBAN COUNCIL. MR HILTON CHEONG-LEEN, SAID THIS TODAY WHEN SUMMING UP THE 12-DAY VISIT TO NORTH AMERICA.

ON THE STREAMLINING OF OPERATIONS, MR CHEONG-LEEN SAID THE HONG KONG PARTY INVESTIGATED HOW TORONTO, VANCOUVER AND SAN FRANCISCO SPEEDED UP APPLICATIONS FOR RESTAURANT LICENCES, LONG A SUBJECT OF CRITICAL EXAMINATION HERE BY THE COUNCIL.

/+THEY HAVE