TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 1982
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TAILORS AND PIECEGOODS MERCHANTS GOING METRIC
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TAILORS AND PIECEGOODS MERCHANTS WOULD BE MEASURING IN METRES AND CENTIMETRES AS FROM AUTUMN THIS YEAR, NR JIM MCGUINNIETY SENIOR METRICATION OFFICER OF THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).
SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF ROTARY CLUB OF HONG KONG NORTHWEST, MR MCGUINNIETY SAID THAT THE CHANGE-OVER WOULD BE ATTEMPTED FROM SEPTEMBER AND WAS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY MARCH 1983.
FOR YEARS, PIECEGOODS MERCHANTS HAVE BEEN MEASURING WITH THE YARD-STICK AND TAILORS HAVE BEEN USING THE 24-INCH RULER.
A NEW METRE-STICK WAS NOW BEING PRODUCED, AND THERE WERE PLANS TO MANUFACTURE A NEW HALF-METRE TAILORING RULER, MR MCGUINNIETY DISCLOSED.
THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE PRODUCING A POCKET-SIZED MEASUREMENT CONVERSION CHART AND TWO POSTERS FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE SHOPS.
THIS WAS ONLY ONE EXAMPLE OF THE COOPERATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN THE METRICATION PROGRAMME, MR MCGUINNIETY POINTED OUT.
+IN FACT, 45 SECTOR COMMITTEES AND SECTOR PANELS, COVER ING ALMOST THE ENTIRE PRIVATE SECTOR ARE PREPARING AND PLANNING THEIR OWN METRICATION PROGRAMMES, AND PROGRESS IS QUITE SATISFACTORY, HE SAID.
PLANS WERE ALSO IN HAND TO PROMOTE THE SALE OF ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES, SUCH AS REFRIGERATORS, TELEVISION SETS AND FANS, IN METRIC UNITS,
METRICATION PROGRAMMES WERE ALSO BEING INITIATED FOR THE PACKAGING, TEXTILE AND PAPER AND PRINTING INDUSTRIES, HE SAID.
PRESS SUPPORT FOR THE METRICATION EFFORT WAS MOST ENCOURAGING+, HE SAID.
AS FAR AS GOVERNMENT PUBLICITY EFFORTS WERE CONCERNED, A METRIC GAMES DAY FOR STUDENTS WOULD BE HELD AT PERTH STREET SPORTSGROUND ON SATURDAY (MARCH 13) AND A METRIC EXHIBITION WOULD BE ORGANISED AT THE CITY HALL IN JANUARY 1983 AS PART OF A METRIC 10-DAY PROGRAMME AIMED AT CONSUMERS.
+ALL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS ARE NOW EFFECTIVELY METRIC,+ MR MCGUINNIETY SAID.
THE ONLY MAJOR LEGISLATION WHICH HAD NOT YET BEEN METRICATED BUT WOULD BE IN THE FUTURE WERE THE ROAD TRANSPORT ORDINANCE AND THE WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ORDINANCNE, HE SAID.
MR MCGUINNIETY SAID THAT GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES WOULD BE TAKING PART IN A METRICATION SEMINAR IN GUANGZHOU NEXT MONTH WHICH WOULD ALSO BE ATTENDED BY REPRESENTATIVES FROM SINGAPORE.
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