5
MONDAY, APRIL 16, 1990
MOST
FOOD RETAILERS RECEIVED MOST COMPLAINTS * * * * *
COMPLAINTS
ABOUT
OR MEASURING
TO TODAY
INACCURATE WEIGHING INSTRUMENTS WERE LODGED AGAINST FOOD
ACCORDING RETAILERS, STATISTICS RELEASED BY THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT
(MONDAY).
EFFECT ON
INTO SINCE THE WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ORDINANCE CAME JANUARY 1, 1989, THE DEPARTMENT HAS RECEIVED 126 COMPLAINTS, OF WHICH 88 WERE DIRECTED AGAINST
OF FRUIT, VEGETABLES, SEAFOOD, POULTRY AND MEAT.
RETAILERS
THE PRINCIPAL TRADE CONTROLS OFFICER OF THE DEPARTMENT'S
MR ANDREW
SAID TRADING STANDARDS INVESTIGATION BUREAU,
WONG, BUSINESSES SUCH AS REMAINING CASES WERE IN RESPECT OF
RESTAURANTS, DEPARTMENT STORES, SUPERMARKETS AND HAWKING.
THE
"NEARLY ALL. THE CASES WERE ABOUT THE USE OF INACCURATE
WEIGHT OF GOODS,' WEIGHING AND MEASURING EQUIPMENT AND ON THE SHORT HE SAID.
"
MR WONG SAID THE DEPARTMENT HAD SO FAR PROSECUTED 17 RETAILERS, WHO HAD BEEN FINED A TOTAL OF $43,050.
A RETAILER,
OF
THE LATEST CASES INVOLVED A FRUIT AND A POULTRY RETAILER, WHO WERE FINED A TOTAL INACCURATE WEIGHING INSTRUMENTS.
FISH
RETAILER USING
FOR $6,500
HUI SIU-FONG,
PING-LAM, A
THE DEFENDANTS, WHO ALL PLEADED GUILTY, WERE MS A FRUIT RETAILER AT 80 CHUNG ON STREET, TSUEN WAN; MR HO POULTRY RETAILER AT 10A POPLAR STREET, SHAM SHUI PO; AND MR CHOI KONG, THE OPERATOR OF A FISH STALL AT TO KWA WAN ROAD.
MARKET,
165 MA TAU
WEI
INSTRUMENTS WERE IN ALL THREE CASES, THE DEFENDANTS' WEIGHING
GOVERNMENT FOUND TO BE INACCURATE ON PRELIMINARY CHECKS. TESTS BY THE LABORATORY LATER SHOWED THAT THE ERRORS RANGED FROM 18.75 PER CENT 20.16 PER CENT IN EXCESS OF THE ACTUAL WEIGHT.
ΤΟ
MALPRACTICES THE TRADING AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT
MR WONG SAID ANY PERSON WANTING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT IN RESPECT TO WEIGHTS AND MEASURES SHOULD CONTACT EITHER STANDARDS INVESTIGATION BUREAU OF THE CUSTOMS (TEL. NO. 714 6146) OR THE CONSUMER COUNCIL.
OF THE CUSTOMS
"COMPLAINTS MAY ALSO BE MADE TO DUTY OFFICERS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT ON 852 3185 AFTER NORMAL OFFICE HOURS.
"TO HELP PUBLICISE THE
COMPLAINTS
CUSTOMS
AND IN ALL
THE HOTLINE,
PROMINENT PLACES EXCISE DEPARTMENT HAS DISPLAYED POSTERS IN RETAIL AND WHOLESALE MARKETS IN THE TERRITORY," HE ADDED.
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