XN000022-1992-11-09 — Page 4

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1992

MR EASON SAID: "GOVERNMENT IS NO ORDINARY LANDLORD. WE HAVE ΤΟ

LAND

LAND

IN FOR OUR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES, TO DISPOSE OF ACQUIRE SUFFICIENT QUANTITIES TO MEET DEMAND FROM ALL SECTORS AND то MANAGE GOVERNMENT LAND.

+T

TURNING ΤΟ BUILDING CONTROL, MR EASON SAID THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN ENSURING SAFETY AND HEALTH IN RELATION TO THE CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE AND USE OF BUILDINGS.

"IT ESTABLISHES A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE BUILDING AUTHORITY BUILDERS AND OWNERS OF BUILDINGS, THROUGH WHICH THE AUTHORITY'S REQUIREMENTS ARE ENFORCED BY LAW," HE ADDED.

AND

"THIS TASK IS VERY IMPORTANT,

"WHILE

HE SAID.

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY PROVIDES AND LOOKS AFTER 45 PER CENT OF HONG KONG'S RESIDENTIAL ACCOMMODATION, THE GOVERNMENT SEEKS TO ENSURE THAT THE REMAINING 55 PER CENT OF THE HOUSING STOCK MEFTS ACCEPTABLE STANDARDS OF HEALTH AND SAFETY.

MR EASON NOTED THAT MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE WERE OTHER FIELDS OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST.

"THUS, THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE HAS TAKEN AN ACTIVE PART IN BUILDING MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENT SCHEMES AND HAS CARRIED OUT DISTRICT CLEARANCE PROGRAMMES INVOLVING UNAUTHORISED BUILDING

WORKS, HE SAID. DEFECTIVE CONCRETE, DANGEROUS SIGNS AND DEFECTIVE DRAINS,

VOLUME AND PRICE MOVEMENTS OF EXTERNAL TRADE IN AUGUST

FIRST

THE VOLUME OF DOMESTIC EXPORTS INCREASED BY 1% IN THE EIGHT MONTHS OF 1992, AS COMPARED WITH THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR, WHILE THAT OF RE-EXPORTS INCREASED BY 30%, ACCORDING TO STATISTICS RELEASED TODAY (MONDAY) BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

TAKING DOMESTIC EXPORTS AND RE-EXPORTS TOGETHER, THE VOLUME TOTAL EXPORTS INCREASED BY 21%. IMPORTS INCREASED BY 22% IN VOLUME.

OF

THE GROWTH IN THE VOLUME OF TRADE IS DERIVED FROM THE GROWTH IN TRADE VALUES WITH THE EFFECT OF PRICE CHANGES BEING DISCOUNTED.

AS REGARDS PRICE CHANGES OVER THE SAME PERIOD OF COMPARISON, THE PRICES OF DOMESTIC EXPORTS AND RE-EXPORTS BOTH INCREASED BY 1%. IMPORT PRICES REMAINED VIRTUALLY UNCHANGED.

CERTAIN

PRICE CHANGES ARE REFLECTED BY CHANGES IN UNIT VALUE INDEXES, WHICH ARE COMPILED BASED ON AVERAGE UNIT VALUES OR, COMMODITIES, BASED ON SPECIFIC PRICE DATA.

FOR

/THE TERMS