TNAG-0231-FCO40-267-Conditions-of-employment-of-labour-force-in-Hong-Kong-1970 — Page 70

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Tuesday, July 28, 1970

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INDUSTRIAL WAGES RISE AND THEY CAN BUY MORE

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Labour Department Releases New Index Figures

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Industrial employees in Hong Kong are much better off than they

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were six years ago. Their pay packets are bigger and they can buy more

with their money. These are the significant facts revealed by a new series

of statistics released today by the Commissioner of Labour, Mr. R.M. Hetherington.

He said that it was common knowledge that wages had risen over recent

years but few realised the extent of the rise. The Labour Statistics Unit

had recently devised a new index of wages in selected industries and public

utilities using March 1964 as the base period. By March 1970, the index

had risen from 100 to 163, an increase of 63 per cent in six years.

Mr. Hetherington explained that the increase of 63 per cent was an

average. Wages had risen in different industries at different rates. Rubber

footwear recorded the highest increase at 96 per cent and motor-vehicle

repairing the lowest increase at 37 per cent. Others appreciably above

the average were electronics, and metal torch-cases. Those appreciably

below the average were bus operators and motor-vehicle repairing.

others ranged about the average.

All

Mr. Hetherington said that prices had also risen over the past six

years. The modified consumer price index, which used twelve-months period

ending in August 1964 as the base period, recorded a general increase from

100 to 123.2 per cent, a rise of just under a quarter during this period.

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