XN000022-1986-04-14 — Page 16

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MONDAY, APRIL 14, 1986

TO ENSURE AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF SKILLED MANPOWER TO SUSTAIN THE GROWTH OF THE INDUSTRY, THE BOARD URGED EMPLOYERS IN THE INDUSTRY TO TRAIN AT LEAST 70 TECHNOLOGISTS, 110 TECHNICIANS AND 230 CRAFTSMEN ANNUALLY UP TO 1991.

THE BOARD NOTED A SUBSTANTIAL GROWTH IN THE NUMBER OF TECHNOLOGISTS EMPLOYED IN THE INDUSTRY. THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE DEMAND FOR TECHNOLOGISTS WOULD BE GREATER AS SMALLER MANUFACTURERS WERE EAGER TO IMPROVE THEIR MANAGEMENT AND PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES.

ON THE OTHER HAND, THE FINDINGS RECORDED A DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF MOULD AND DIE MAKERS AS WELL AS PATTERN, MODEL AND PROTOTYPE MAKERS.

THE BOARD SAID THIS DID NOT MEAN THAT THE MANPOWER FOR THESE CRAFTSMEN HAD DROPPED BUT ONLY THAT MORE MANUFACTURERS DEPENDED ON SPECIALIST SUB-CONTRACTORS, WHOSE ESTABLISHMENT AND WORKFORCE WERE NOT COVERED IN THE SURVEY, FOR THE SUPPLY OF MOULDS, MODELS AND MOCK-UPS.

HOWEVER, THE TOTAL WORKFORCE OF THE INDUSTRY HAD DECREASED FROM 82 000 WORKERS IN 1983 TO 79 800 IN 1985, A DECLINE OF 2.8 PER CENT.

THE BIGGEST DROP WAS AT THE LEVELS OF OPERATIVE AND UNSKILLED WORKERS, DOWN FROM 72 800 TO 71 000.

THE BOARD ATTRIBUTED THIS TO THE INCREASING USE OF AUTOMATION AND THE SHIFTING OF LABOUR-INTENSIVE PRODUCTION WORK TO CHINA.

THE REPORT, IN ENGLISH AND CHINESE, IS AVAILABLE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS SALES CENTRE AT $11 A COPY.

NEW ZEALAND MAY GIVE TRADE BENEFIT

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HONG KONG IS HOPEFUL THAT SOME ITEMS OF SPECIAL TRADING INTEREST TO THE TERRITORY WILL BE GIVEN LESS DEVELOPED COUNTRY TARIFF RATES WHICH ARE EQUAL TO THOSE GRANTED UNDER THE NEW ZEALAND GENERALISED SYSTEM OF PREFERENCES.

THIS FOLLOWS A VISIT BY A HONG KONG DELEGATION, LED BY THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR MICHAEL SZE, WHICH VISITED NEW ZEALAND FOR DISCUSSIONS IN WELLINGTON ON APRIL 10 AND 11.

+THE TWO SIDES SPENT MUCH TIME CONSIDERING THE POSSIBLE REINSTATEMENT OF LESS DEVELOPED COUNTRY RATES FOR A LIST OF TARIFF ITEMS OF SPECIAL TRADING INTEREST TO HONG KONG, MR SZE.

SAID

/+AS A