WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 1982
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DUTIABLE COMMODITIES (AMENDMENT) BILL 1982 MOVED
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THE PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE DUTIABLE COMMODITIES ORDINANCE (CHAPTER 109) WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S DECLARED POLICY OF PROMOTING USE OF THE METRIC SYSTEM OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES,
THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMS, MR BILL DORWARD SAID IN MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE DUTIABLE COMMODITIES
AMENDMENT) BILL 1982 AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
HE SAID THE MAJORITY OF THE AMENDMENTS REQUIRED RELATE TO THE CONVERSION OF NON-METRIC TO BROADLY EQUIVALENT METRIC UNITS AND MAY BE EFFECTED BY THE GOVERNOR BY AN ORDER UNDER SECTION 3(1) OF THE METRICATION ORDINANCE (CHAPTER 214).
+THIS BILL RELATES TO AMENDMENTS WHICH FALL OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE METRICATION ORDINANCE. IT PROPOSES THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ARCHAIC SIKES PROOF SYSTEM OF DETERMINING ALCOHOLIC STRENGTH WITH THAT RECOMMENDED BY THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION OF LEGAL METROLOGY (OIML).
+THE OIML SYSTEM, WHICH IS MORE PRECISE THAN THE SIKES SYSTEM. EXPRESSES ALCOHOLIC STRENGTH IN TERMS OF VOLUME OF THE ALCOHOL IN PERCENTAGE PROPORTION TO THE VOLUME OF THE ALCOHOLIC MIXTURE AT A STANDARD TEMPERATURE OF 20 DEGREES CELSIUS.
*THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN ADOPTED BY MANY OF OUR TRADING PARTNERS, INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE EEC COUNTRIES.+
MTR LOAN GUARANTEE APPROVED
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THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY APPROVED A GOVERNMENT GUARANTEE TO COVER REPAYMENT OF A $719 MILLION LOAN INCURRED BY THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY CORPORATION.
THE SUM BORROWED UNDER THIS GUARANTEE WILL BE USED TO FINANCE THE ISLAND LINE CONTRACTS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TUNNELS FROM SHEUNG WAN TO ADMIRALTY AND FROM SAI WAN HO TO ALDRICH BAY- THE STATIONS AT SHAU KEI WAN AND SAI WAN HO- AND THE CONCOURSES OF WAN CHAI, CAUSEWAY BAY EAST, TIN HAU AND SAI WAN HO STATIONS.
THIS BRINGS THE GOVERNMENT'S TOTAL GUARANTEE COMMITMENT IN RESPECT OF OUTSTANDING LOANS AVAILABLE TO THE MTRC TO $8 037 MILLION.
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