Sir,
DRAFT SPEECH BY THE HON MRS SELINA CHOW, OBE, JP
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 7 JANUARY 1987
POST OFFICE (AMENDMENT) BILL 1986
The most important provision in this Bill is the
creation in Clause 6 of a new offence outlawing the practice of
inertia selling perpetrated through the sending of bills and
invoices for unsolicited goods or services. There have been
numerous complaints to the Consumer Council and the Police
about bills from overseas for unsolicited entries in trade
directories, but inertia-selling schemes originating from
within Hong Kong have not, I understand, been very common.
Whilst the bill will, of course, cover schemes originating from
within Hong Kong, it will also enable the Postmaster General to
take action against unsolicited bills from overseas by
exercising his existing powers under sections 12 and 23 of the
Post Office Ordinance to stop and inspect, and, if necessary,
detain incoming mail suspected of contravening the Ordinance.
In making inertia selling a criminal offence in Hong Kong, the
Bill will also make it possible for the authorities in a number
of countries to bring charges against those who send the
offending bills to addresses in Hong Kong, because of their
reciprocal registration.