XN000022-1993-07-13 — Page 5

TUESDAY, JULY 13, 1993

IF SO, THEIR PAYMENT OF RATES WILL BE MADE BY DIRECT DEBIT TO THEIR BANK ACCOUNTS ON JULY 31. RATEPAYERS SHOULD ENSURE THAT THEIR BANK ACCOUNTS CONTAIN THE NECESSARY FUNDS ON THAT DATE.

RATES ARE PAYABLE ON VACANT PROPERTIES UNDER THE CONDITIONS SPECIFIED IN THE ORDINANCE.

BUT ARE REFUNDABLE

HOWEVER, NO REFUNDS WILL BE MADE IN THE CASE OF A VACANT TENEMENT LAST USED OR INTENDED TO BE USED WHOLLY OR PRIMARILY FOR DOMESTIC PURPOSES OR FOR THE PARKING OF VEHICLES (UNLESS VACANT BY REASON OF AN ORDER OF THE GOVERNMENT).

TO SAVE TIME OF QUEUEING, THE SPOKESMAN URGED RATEPAYERS TO PAY BY POST USING CHEQUES OR MONEY ORDERS, OR BY EARLY PERSONAL ATTENDANCE AT ANY OF THE COLLECTION OFFICES.

HOWEVER, THE MOST CONVENIENT WAY IS TO PAY BY AUTOPAY UNDER WHICH RATEPAYERS' BANK ACCOUNTS WILL ONLY BE DEBITED ON DUE DATES.

APPLICATIONS FOR AUTOPAY ARE OBTAINABLE FROM TREASURY COLLECTION OFFICES, DISTRICT OFFICES AND ALL MAJOR BANKS IN HONG KONG OR BY TELEPHONING 829 5019.

REMINDER ON DEADLINE FOR RETURNING SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRES

* *

THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT TODAY (TUESDAY) REMINDED SAMPLED ESTABLISHMENTS IN THE FOLLOWING SURVEYS IN RESPECT OF 1992 TO RETURN SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRES:

ANNUAL SURVEY OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION;

ANNUAL SURVEY OF WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADERS, RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS;

* ANNUAL SURVEY OF BUILDING,

SECTORS;

CONSTRUCTION AND REAL ESTATE

ANNUAL SURVEY OF TRANSPORT AND RELATED SERVICES; AND

ANNUAL SURVEY OF STORAGE, COMMUNICATION, INSURANCE AND BUSINESS SERVICES.

FINANCING,

THESE SURVEYS ARE CONDUCTED ANNUALLY BY THE DEPARTMENT TO COLLECT UP-TO-DATE STATISTICAL DATA FOR EVALUATING THE CONTRIBUTION OF VARIOUS ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES TO HONG KONG'S GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT AND FOR ASCERTAINING THEIR COST STRUCTURE, OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS AND OUTPUT LEVELS.

/THE SURVEY