XN000022-1980-02-17 — Page 4

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1980

ANOTHER IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE WORK OF THE TRADE INVESTIGATION ERANCH, IN DEFENCE OF HONG KONG'S GOOD TRADING NAME, IS THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE CERTIFICATE OF ORIGIN SYSTEM. CHECKS ARE MADE AT FACTORIES AND ON EXPORT CONSIGNMENTS TO ENSURE THEY COMPLY WITH THE LICENSING AND QUOTA REQUIREMENTS OF HONG KONG'S VARIOUS BILATERAL TRADE AGREEMENTS.

+LAST YEAR, IN CO-OPERATION WITH OTHER CUSTOMS AUTHORITIES, WE SUCCESSFULLY INVESTIGATED A SERIES OF TRANSHIPMENT FRAUDS DESIGNED TO CIRCUMVENT THE QUOTA ARRANGEMENTS, + SAID MR YIP.

OFFENDERS FACE HEAVY PENALTIES WHICH INCLUDE THE FORFEITURE OF QUOTAS AND THE SUSPENSION OR CANCELLATION OF CERTIFICATES OR LICENCES GIVEN THEM BY THE DEPARTMENT. +WE ARE DETERMINED TO STAMP OUT THESE MALPRACTICES IN THE TEXTILE TRADE WHICH ARE COMMITTED BY A VERY FEW, BUT WHICH JEOPARDISE HONG KONG'S TRADING INTEGRITY,+ MR YIP ADDED.

OTHER AND MORE ROUTINE BUT, NEVERTHELESS, EQUALLY IMPORTANT WORK OF THE BRANCH IS THE CHECKING OF IMPORT AND EXPORT DECLARATIONS, AND THE HANDLING OF OVERSEAS COMPLAINTS ABOUT LOCAL TRADERS.

INTERNATIONAL MAIL CENTRE READY IN SIX MONTHS *****

THE $53-MILLION NEW INTERNATIONAL MAIL CENTRE, THE LARGEST OF ITS KIND IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, IS EXPECTED TO BE OPERATIONAL IN SIX MONTHS.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (SUNDAY) WORK ON THE MAIN BUILDING OF THE MAIL CENTRE NEAR KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY STATION IN HUNG HOM HAD BEEN COMPLETED AND THE INSTALLATION OF THE MAIL SORTING EQUIPMENT WAS ALSO NEAR COMPLETION.

HE SAID THAT THE MOST UP-TO-DATE AUTOMATIC MAIL SORTING EQUIPMENT WOULD IN MID-MARCH UNDERGO A TWO-MONTH TRIAL SUPERVISED BY CONSULTANT ENGINEERS OF THE BRITISH POSTAL CONSULTANCY SERVICES AND OFFICERS OF THE ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL OFFICE.

+THE TWO-STOREY CENTRE OCCUPIES AN AREA OF 7 300 SQUARE METRES,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

IT WILL HAVE A TOTAL FLOOR AREA OF ABOUT 8 000 SQUARE METRES FOR THE MAIL SORTING COMPLEX WHICH INCLUDES MAIL SORTING, STORAGE AND PROCESSING, WITH ANCILLARY OFFICES.

+THE MAIL CENTRE WILL BE AIR-CONDITIONED AND THERE WILL ALSO BE A DINING ROOM, A REST ROOM AND RECREATION ROOM FOR STAFF.

A RAILWAY SPUR AND PLATFORM WILL BE PROVIDED TO HANDLE MAIL TO AND FROM CHINA WHILE FOUR BERTHS FOR MAIL LAUNCHES ARE BEING BUILT ALONG THE SEAWALL SOUTH OF THE CENTRE.

ON COMPLETION, THE MAIL CENTRE WILL BECOME THE MAJOR SORTING OFFICE FOR HANDLING INTERNATIONAL MAIL TO AND FROM HONG KONG.