XN000022-1976-11-11 — Page 11

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1976.

NEED FOR A PERMANENT CONSUMER COUNCIL

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THE CONSUMER COUNCIL HAS BY ITS ACHIEVEMENTS, CONVINCED MOST PEOPLE THERE IS A PERMANENT NEED FOR IT IN HONG KONG, THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, THE HON. DAVID JEAFFRESON, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED DEBATE ON A MOTION OF THANKS FOR THE GOVERNOR'S OPENING ADDRESS, HE SAID THAT OVER THE TWO YEARS OF ITS EXISTENCE, THE CONSUMER COUNCIL HAD CARRIED OUT 33 DETAILED SURVEYS OF INDIVIDUAL PRODUCTS AND HAD RECEIVED SOMETHING LIKE 13,000 COMPLAINTS.

THE COUNCIL, MR. JEAFFRESON SAID, FOUND ABOUT A QUARTER OF THEM JUSTIFIED AND SUBSEQUENTLY SUCCEEDED IN EFFECTING IMPROVEMENTS.

IF THE NEED FOR A PERMANENT COUNCIL WAS ACCEPTED, HE SAID, IT MUST BE GIVEN LEGAL STATUS AS POINTED OUT BY THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER, DR. THE HON. S.Y. CHUNG.

THE EASIEST AND QUICKEST WAY FOR THE CONSUMER COUNCIL TO BECOME A LEGAL ENTITY WOULD BE FOR IT TO REGISTER AS A SOCIETY UNDER THE SOCIETIES ORDINANCE, MR. JEAFFRESON SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE ALTERNATIVE, FOR IT TO BE INCORPORATED UNDER ITS OWN STATUTE, WOULD INEVITABLY TAKE LONGER AND RESULT IN A CERTAIN INFLEXIBILITY WHICH COULD BE DISADVANTAGEOUS, FOR EXAMPLE IF THE COUNCIL WANTED AT A LATER DATE TO SEEK TO MODIFY ITS OBJECTIVES.

HE EXPLAINED THAT THE COUNCIL, BY REGISTERING UNDER THE SOCIETIES ORDINANCE, WOULD MEET ALL THE DIFFICULTIES OUTLINED BY DR. CHUNG, EXCEPT ONE.

+FOR ONLY IF THE COUNCIL WERE TO ASSUME INVESTIGATORY POWERS WOULD IT NEED TO BE INCORPORATED UNDER ITS OWN STATUTE,+ HE SAID.

+ I MUST CONFESS THAT ON THIS POINT THE GOVERNMENT DOES HAVE DOUBTS. ONE CAUSE OF THESE DOUBTS IS THAT TO MAKE THOSE SERVING CONSUMERS IN HONG KONG LIABLE TO INVESTIGATION BY A NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANISATION WOULD LEAVE THEM OPEN TO A MAJOR BREACH OF THEIR PRIVACY.

+1 STAND TO BE CORRECTED WHEN I SAY THAT THERE ARE NO NON-GOVERNMENT STATUTORY BODIES THAT DO HAVE SUCH POWERS.+

MR. JEAFFRESON SUGGESTED THAT BEFORE TAKING THIS SERIOUS STEP, THE GOVERNMENT WOULD NEED TO BE FULLY SATISFIED THAT LACK OF INVESTIGATORY POWERS WAS SIGNIFICANTLY HAMPERING THE COUNCIL IN ITS WORK, THAT SUCH POWERS WOULD NOT HAVE THE EFFECT OF ACTUALLY HAMPERING THE EFFECTIVE WORKING OF THE MARKET SYSTEM, THAT THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE FELT STRONGLY THAT THE COUNCIL SHOULD HAVE SUCH POWERS, AND THAT THE NECESSARY LAW COULD BE DRAFTED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE POWERS COULD BE ADEQUATELY DEF INED BOTH AS TO THEIR EXTENT AND TO THE IR USE.

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