XN000022-1976-08-23 — Page 4

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MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 1976

TO CO-ORDINATE THE CHANGEOVER IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, THE GOVERNMENT WAS INVESTIGATING THE APPOINTMENT OF A METRICATION BOARD COMPOSED ALMOST ENTIRELY OF NON-GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES WHO WOULD ENDEAVOUR TO PROMOTE THE CHANGE THROUGHOUT HONG KONG, MR. MCGUINNIETY SAID.

THE MAIN TASK OF THE BOARD WOULD BE TO ADVISE THE GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY ON A PLANNED AND ORDERLY CHANGEOVER PROGRAMME.

+ THE PROBABLE PATTERN FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE BOARD MAY WELL BE TO MAKE THE MEMBERSHIP REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF LIFE IN HONG KONG, SUCH AS ENGINEERING, MANUFACTURING, IMPORT AND EXPORT, CONSTRUCTION, SHIPPING, TRANSPORT, PUBLIC UTILITIES, EDUCATION, WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADING.

+TO ACHIEVE CO-ORDINATION, THE METRICATION BOARD CAN BE EXPECTED TO PROMOTE ADVISORY COMMITTEES OF PEOPLE INVOLVED IN EACH OF THE VARIOUS ASPECTS OF INDUSTRY. SUCH COMMITTEES WILL USUALLY BE CHAIRED BY A BOARD MEMBER SO THAT DIRECT LIAISON WILL BE ESTABLISHED BETWEEN ADVISORY COMMITTEES AND THE BOARD, HE SAID.

MR. MCGUINNIETY SAID THE DECISION TO GO METRIC HAD NOT BEEN A UNILATERAL ONE ON PART OF THE GOVERNMENT. +IN FACT, IT CAN BE SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN STEERED TOWARDS METRICATION BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR.+

INDUSTRIAL LEADERS, HE SAID, FIRST HAD TALKS WITH THE GOVERNMENT ON THE SUBJECT AS FAR BACK AS 1968. A METRICATION COMMITTEE WAS APPOINTED IN 1970 AND IN ITS SUBSEQUENT REPORTS STRESSED THE SUITABILITY AND INEVITABILITY OF THE METRIC SYSTEM FOR HONG KONG AS WELL AS FOR THE EARLY INVOLVEMENT OF SPECIFIC GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS SUCH AS THE P.W.D. AND THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.

LAST MONTH, THE GOVERNMENT OPENED THE DOOR TO FULL SCALE METRICATION BY ENACTING THE METRICATION ORDINANCE PROVIDING AUTHORITY FOR CHANGING NON-METRIC UNITS IN ANY EXISTING LEGISLATION TO METRIC TERMS.

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