WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1978
THOSE DEPOSITED IN THE TREASURY ARE SOMETHING OF A MYSTERY. THOSE COPIES, THE COMMISSIONER IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN HANDED OVER INSTEAD +FOR ADMINISTRATIVE CONVENIENCE TO THE COMMISSIONER OF THE CUSTOMS SERVICE TO WHOM HOWEVER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CANNOT SEND THEIR MEASURING INSTRUMENTS FOR VERIFICATION AND CERTIFICATION.
MR. WU QUOTED THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES WHO HE SAID, WAS ENTIRELY FRANK ABOUT THE REASON IN A WRITTEN ANSWER TO SIR S.Y. CHUNG 18 MONTHS AGO THE WEIGHTS AND MEASURES AT PRESENT WITH THE COMMISSIONER ARE IN A GENERALLY POOR CONDITION. CERTAINLY IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO GUARANTEE THAT ANY OF THEM ARE OF THE STANDARD OF ACCURACY REQUIRED OF SECONDARY STANDARDS.+
+1 MUST NOT BE UNKIND TO THE SECRETARY,+ MR. WU ADDED, +THE SECRETARY TOLD SIR S.Y. WE INTEND THAT THIS UNSATISFACTORY STATE OF AFFAIRS SHOULD BE RECTIFIED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
+BUT, LIKE WEIGHTS AND MEASURES -- EVERYTHING IS RELATIVE. HOW LONG IS A YARD.... HOW HEAVY IS A CATTY.... AND HOW SOON IS SOON?+
MR. WU POINTED OUT THAT IN APRIL, 1977 THE GOVERNMENT HAD SAID THAT THE ORDINANCE WAS +PRESENTLY BEING REVISED+. THAT, HE SAID, WAS NO RASH, HASTY PROMISE. THREE YEARS EARLIER IT HAD ASSURED THE CONSUMER COUNCIL THAT +VERY PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS HAVE LED US TO BELIEVE THAT A NEW WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
ORDINANCE SHOULD BE ENACTED TO REPEAL AND REPLACE THE EXISTING ORDINANCE OF 1885+.
IN DECEMBER, 1975, ANOTHER YEAR LATER, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TOLD MR. T.S. LO THAT NEW LEGISLATION HAD BEEN UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR SOME TIME. +THAT, SURELY, IS AN UNCHALLENGEABLE STATEMENT OF THE OBVIOUS
+MR. WU SAID.
+BUT THERE IS ALWAYS A SAVING CLAUSE. IN THIS CASE IT WAS THE NEED TO BRING THE LEGISLATION UP TO DATE, AND TO PROVIDE FOR ADEQUATE ENFORCEMENT.
+AND SO WE COME TO THE END OF 1978, AND HOW MUCH FURTHER FORWARD ARE WE?+
IS.+
+HARDLY A STANDARD INCH
IF ANYONE KNOWS WHAT THAT
WE HAD HAD AN EXPERT REPORT, HE SAID, BUT SOMEHOW THE WHOLE THING HAD GOT TIED UP WITH THE CHANGEOVER TO THE METRIC UNITS, SOME TIME SOON, AND THE SOONER THE BETTER, OUR WEIGHTS AND MEASURES MUST BE BROUGHT UP TO DATE, AND THAT MUST INCLUDE PROPER CONSIDERATION OF THE METRIC SYSTEM AND OTHER ASPECTS INVOLVING STANDARDS. WE SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE LATEST EXPERIENCE IN OTHER COUNTRIES.
/+BUT IS.....
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