FRIDAY, MAY 29, 1987
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WEIGHTS AND MEASURES BILL IN THE PIPELINE
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A BILL ON WEIGHTS AND MEASURES TO DEFINE A UNIFORM SYSTEM OF STANDARDS OF MEASUREMENT BASED ON THE METRIC INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM OF UNITS IS EXPECTED TO BE ENACTED SHORTLY, THE COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS AND EXCISE, MR PATRICK WILLIAMSON SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).
SPEAK ING ON THE ROLE OF THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT IN CONSUMER PROTECTION AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF KOWLLON NORTH, MR WILLIAMSON SAID THE BILL ALSO AIMED AT STIPULATING BOTH THE UNITS OF MEASUREMENT AND THE WEIGHTS AND MEASURES PERMITTED TO BE USED FOR TRADE IN HONG KONG.
+TO BE ENFORCED BY THE DEPARTMENT, THE NEW LEGISLATION INTENDS TO MAKE IT AN OFFENCE THE FRAUDULENT USE OF WEIGHING OR MEASURING EQUIPMENT FOR TRADE AND THE POSSESSION, MANUFACTURE, SUPPLY AND USE OF EQUIPMENT WHICH IS UNAUTHORISED, FALSE OR DEFECTIVE.
+REGULATIONS GOVERNING TRADE TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THE USE OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES WILL ALSO BE STIPULATED, HE ADDED.
WHILE CUSTOMS OFFICERS ARE GENERALLY NOT SEEN AS ENFORCERS OF CONSUMER PROTECTION, MR WILLIAMSON SAID THE DEPARTMENT HAD A TRADE COMPLAINTS UNIT WHICH HANDLED COMPLAINTS LODGED BY OVERSEAS BUYERS AND TOURISTS AGAINST HONG KONG BUSINESS CONCERNS FOR ALLEGED TRADE MALPRACTICES SUCH AS THE NON-DEL IVERY OF GOODS, INFERIOR QUALITY OF GOODS AND OVER-CHARGING.
+ IN 1986, THE UNIT RECEIVED 140 COMPLAINTS FROM TOURISTS, AND 113 CASES WERE SETTLED TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE PARTIES CONCERNED.+
ANOTHER AREA OF CONSUMER PROTECTION RELATING TO THE MAKING OF GOLD AND PLATINUM UNDER THE TRADE DESCRIPTIONS ORDINANCE IS ALSO ENFORCED BY THE CUSTOMS.
THE GOLD MARKING ORDER WAS MADE IN JANUARY 1985, AND ACTION IS ALSO WELL IN HAND TO INTRODUCE A PLATINUM MARKING ORDER.
+ IT IS PROPOSED THE MARKING OF PLATINUM WILL BE TRADED WITHIN THE STANDARDS OF FINENESS 850-990 WHICH WILL ACCORD WITH HONG KONG'S TRADING STANDARDS GENERALLY WHILE ALSO COMPLYING WITH INTERNATIONAL REQUIREMENTS.+
AS DISTINCT FROM. CONSUMER PROTECTION ALONE, MR WILLIAMSON SAID INTENSIVE ACTIONS WERE ALSO TAKEN BY THE DEPARTMENT AGAINST COUNTERFEITING.
+ IN 1986, COUNTERFEIT GOODS, VALUED AT HK$64 MILLION, WERE SEIZED AND 725 PERSONS BROUGHT BEFORE THE COURTS.
+SO FAR THIS YEAR, COUNTERFEIT GOODS TO THE VALUE OF HK$20 275 190 HAVE BEEN SEIZED AND 257 PERSONS PROSECUTED.+
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