XN000022-1981-03-31 — Page 5

TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 1981

MORE STEPS TOWARDS METRICATION

***

MORE STEPS WILL BE TAKEN TOWARDS METRICATION IN THE COMING MONTHS TO TIE IN WITH GOVERNMENT'S METRICATION PROGRAMME.

STARTING TOMORROW (WEDNESDAY), THE PACKAGING AND LABELLING OF MOST PLASTIC PRODUCTS WILL BE IN METRIC.

A SPOKESMAN OF THE METRICATION COMMITTEE PLASTIC PRODUCTS WORKING GROUP SAID THE +SOFT CONVERSION+ WILL ONLY INVOLVE THE MEASURING OF PRODUCTS IN METRIC TERMS, AND WILL NOT AFFECT THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS OF THE PRODUCTS.

HOWEVER, HE POINTED OUT THAT THE FINAL GOAL OF THE PLASTIC INDUSTRY IN THE METRICATION PROCESS LIES IN HARD CONVERSION+ WHICH IS SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE IN APRIL, 1983. BY THEN, ALL RAW MATERIALS, DESIGN CONCEPTS, MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT AND PRODUCTION WILL ALL BE METRIC ORIENTATED.

ALSO IN THE PIPELINE ARE PLANS FOR THE METRICATION OF NON-VEHICULAR PETROLEUM PRODUCTS.

WITH EFFECT FROM JULY, KEROSENE, INDUSTRIAL FUELS, HYDROCARBON SOLVENT AND CHEMICAL SOLVENTS WILL BE MEASURED IN +LITRES+ INSTEAD OF +GALLONS+. LP GAS, RAW MATERIALS OF PLASTIC PRODUCTS AND WAX WILL BE CALIBRATED IN KILOGRAMS+ INSTEAD OF +POUNDS AND +TONS+.

TO ASSIST THE PUBLIC IN THE METRIC CHANGEOVER, THE METRICATION COMMITTEE IS PREPARING TWO SHORT FILMS ON THE USE OF +METRE+ AND +KILOGRAM+, THE BASIC UNITS FOR LENGTH AND CAPACITY. THIS WILL SUPPLEMENT THE ONE ON THE USE OF LITRE+ CURRENTLY BEING SCREENED ON TELEVISION,

PUBLICATIONS ON THE USE OF METRIC UNITS WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE SOON FROM CITY DISTRICT OFFICES AND DISTRICT OFFICES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

OUTWARD PROCESSING ARRANGEMENTS AN AID TO TRADE

****

THE NEW OUTWARD PROCESSING ARRANGEMENTS MEAN THAT ORIGIN CERT IF ICATION SERVICES WILL NOT BE DENIED TO HONG KONG MANUFACTURERS WHO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LOWER PRODUCTION COSTS ACROSS THE BORDER, PRINCIPAL TRADE OFFICER, MR WILLIAM KWOK, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

ADDRESSING A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF HONG KONG NORTHWEST, MR KWOK POINTED OUT THAT THE ARRANGEMENTS WOULD FACILITATE THE ISSUE OF CERTIFICATES OF HONG KONG ORIGIN FOR PRODUCTS WHICH HAVE HAD MINOR PROCESSING SUBCONTRACTED OUTS IDE HONG KONG, PROVIDED THE PRINCIPAL ORIGIN CONFERRING MANUFACTURING PROCESS IS CARRIED OUT IN HONG KONG.

/+PREVIOUS