quarters of employers returning the surveys on time.

By Friday's deadline, the Government's Statistics Department had received forms from 2,700 of Bermuda's 4,000 employers.

For the first time, the Employment Survey (formerly the Manpower Survey) which was mailed to employers in July, included questionnaires on race.

Yesterday statistician for business statistics Mr. Steven Holdipp announced a 90-percent return rate on the race questionnaires which were filled out by employees and returned to employers.

"The response has been fairly good at this stage,'' he said.

But over the next few weeks, the Department will be launching a telephone blitz to remind the tardy to send in their surveys. The Department will focus on small, independent businesses as most of the larger firms have replied on time.

The survey, which has been conducted on an annual basis for the past 15 years, provides information on Bermuda's work force to help plan employment and pinpoint development needs in Government and private sectors.

Mr. Holdipp said Statistics Department staff would compile the results and produce a brief analysis and highlights to be released in January 1996.

Otherwise, he said the information would be on hand for anyone who needed it.