7
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1978
ON THE USE OF METRIC SYSTEM, MR. JEAFFRESON SAID THE
GOVERNMENT'S POLICY HAD BEEN THAT IT WOULD ADOPT THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM OF UNITS FOR ITS OWN USE, AND IN LEGISLATION WHEREVER THIS WAS APPROPRIATE.
BUT IT WOULD NOT NORMALLY PROHIBIT THE USE OF CHINESE UNITS
OF MEASUREMENT OR OF THE IMPERIAL SYSTEM.
+SO WHILE ALL NEW CONSUMER PROTECTION LEGISLATION WILL USE THE METRIC SYSTEM, AND NON-METRIC UNITS WILL BE DEFINED BY REFERENCE TO METRIC UNITS, AND WHILE THE GOVERNMENT WILL ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO USE THE METRIC SYSTEM, UNDER THE PRESENT IT WILL NOT SET A TARGET TO ABOLISH THE CATTY, THE TAEL, THE FOOT OR THE INCH.+
0 -
ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
*****
THE HON. ALEX WU HAS DRAWN ATTENTION TO THE LACK OF ENFORCEMENT OF THE WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ORDINANCE AND THE GOVERNMENT'S DELAY IN REVISING THE EXISTING LEGISLATION.
+WHAT WOULD THE REST OF THE WORLD THINK OF A MAJOR TRADING COMMUNITY WHICH EXERCISES ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL OVER ITS OWN WEIGHTS AND MEASURES? IT IS HARDLY THE BASIS FOR A GOOD REPUTATION,+ HE SAID.
MR. WU INITIATED DEBATE ON THE SUBJECT AT THE ADJOURNMENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY. THREE OTHER UNOFFICIAL COUNCILLORS, THE HON. S. L. CHEN, THE REV. THE HON. PATRICK MCGOVERN AND THE HON. ALLEN LEE SPOKE IN HIS SUPPORT.
MR. WU NOTED THAT ALTHOUGH IT WAS REALLY A SERIOUS MATTER FOR MOST PEOPLE, THE SUBJECT HAD SOMETIMES BEEN TREATED RATHER LIGHTLY IN THE COUNCIL:
+THERE CERTAINLY ARE ELEMENTS OF FARCE IN A SITUATION WHERE A LAW HAS BEEN ENACTED FOR MORE THAN 93 YEARS, AMENDED 10 TIMES THIS CENTURY, BUT NOT ENFORCED WITHIN LIVING MEMORY.
THE LAW IS SHORT AND HAS A SIMPLE PURPOSE, PROVIDING FOR STANDARDS OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES TO BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC, AND FOR EXAMINERS OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES WHO CAN ENTER BUSINESS PREMISES TO EXAMINE SCALES AND BALANCES.
THAT THIS SIMPLE, SENSIBLE LEGISLATION WAS ALLOWED TO FALL INTO DISUSE WAS A POOR REFLECTION ON ALL OF US: ADMINISTRATORS, LEGISLATORS, TRADERS AND CONSUMERS, MR. WU SAID.
THE ORDINANCE REQUIRES THAT STANDARD WEIGHTS AND MEASURES BE KEPT IN THE TREASURY AND THAT COPIES BE KEPT BY THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE.
/THOSE.....