XN000022-1986-12-14 — Page 3

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1986

THESE PROVIDE AN EARLY INDICATION OF THE LATEST TREND IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNDEREMPLOYMENT SITUATION, THE PROVISIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT RATE (NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED) FOR SEPTEMBER

NOVEMBER 1986 WAS 2.5 PER CENT AND THE PROVISIONAL UNDEREMPLOYMENT RATE WAS 1.2 PER CENT.

THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS EXPECTED TO BE LOWER AFTER SEASONAL ADJUSTMENT. (THE UNADJUSTED UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR AUGUST- OCTOBER 1986 WAS 2.8 PER CENT.)

THE UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNDEREMPLOYMENT STATISTICS WERE OBTAINED FROM A CONTINUOUS GENERAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT. THIS SURVEY COVERS A QUARTERLY SAMPLE OF SOME 14 000 HOUSEHOLDS OR 50 000 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.

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 1986 SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FROM THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE AROUND DECEMBER 20, 1986.

YOUTHS ROLE IN FUTURE SOCIETY EMPHASISED

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YOUNG PEOPLE ARE THE FUTURE OF SOCIETY AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THEY SHOULD GROW UP TO BE RESPONSIBLE AND COMPASSIONATE ADULTS, THE ACTING GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID TODAY (SUNDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE 1986 +TOWARDS A FULLER LIFE+ PROGRAMME AT VICTORIA PARK, SIR DAVID SAID IT WAS ALSO IMPORTANT THAT THEY SHOULD POSSESS A PROPER SET OF VALUES AND A SENSE OF PURPOSE.

+THIS WILL HELP THEM TO UNDERSTAND THE SOCIETY THEY LIVE IN, AND WHAT THEY CAN DO TO IMPROVE IT BOTH FOR THE BENEFIT OF OTHERS, HE SAID.

/THE 1986