XN000022-1987-03-14 — Page 5

SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 1987

THESE PROVIDE AN EARLY INDICATION OF THE LATEST TREND IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNDEREMPLOYMENT SITUATION. THE PROVISIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT RATE (NOT SEASONALLY ADUSTED) FOR DECEMBER 1986- FEBRUARY 1987 WAS 1.9 PER CENT AND THE PROVISIONAL UNDEREMPLOYMENT RATE WAS 1.0 PER CENT. (THE UNADJUSTED UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR NOVEMBER 1986-JANUARY 1987 WAS ALSO 1.9 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 ANALYSES 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 DECEMBER 1986 SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FROM THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE NEXT WEEK AT $8.50 PER COPY.

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ROLE OF LOCAL ORGANISATIONS EMPHASISED

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LOCAL ORGANISATIONS, VILLAGE OFFICES AND RURAL COMMITTEES IN PARTICULAR, PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN STRENGTHENING TIES BETWEEN INDIGENOUS AND NEW RESIDENTS AS WELL AS ENHANCING COMMUNITY SPIRIT IN THE NEW TERRITORIES, NORTH DISTRICT OFFICER, MR MATTHEW CHEUNG, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE FANLING WAI VILLAGE OFFICE, MR CHEUNG SAID THAT WHILE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW TOWN HAD BEEN PROCEEDING AT A FAST PACE, THE ROLE OF RURAL ORGANISATIONS IN IMPROVING DISTRICT WELFARE WOULD NOT BE UNDERSTATED.

IN FACT, THE FANLING WAT VILLAGE COMMUNITY HAD BEEN PLAYING AN ACTIVE PART IN PROMOTING BOTH EDUCATION AND WELFARE IN THE DISTRICT, AN EXAMPLE OF WHICH WAS THE SETTING UP OF THE YAN TAK STUDY ROOM AND THE FANLING PUBLIC SCHOOL, HE SAID.

THEIR TEN YEARS TA CHIU CELEBRATIONS AND THE MANY ACTIVITIES HELD FOR THE ELDERLY DURING THE LUNAR NEW YEAR HAD ALSO GAINED WIDESPREAD SUPPORT IN THE DISTRICT, HE ADDED.

OTHER OFFICIATING GUESTS INCLUDED CHAIRMAN OF THE HEUNG YEE KUK, MR LAU WONG-FAT, AND THE DISTRICT LANDS OFFICER, MR ROGER HARDING.

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