XN000022-1985-11-05 — Page 10

9

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1985

PORT AND CARGO STATISTICS ARE COMPILED FROM OCEAN CARGO MANIFESTS SUPPLIED BY SHIPPING COMPANIES OR AGENTS TO THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

BECAUSE OF RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS, A SAMPLE OF ALL CONSIGNMENTS LISTED IN THE MANIFESTS IS USED FOR COMPILING THE STATISTICS. THE SAMPLING METHOD IS DESCRIBED IN THE EXPLANATORY NOTES OF THE REPORT.

MORE DETAILS ON SHIPPING, PORT AND CARGO STATISTICS FOR THE SECOND QUARTER OF 1985 ARE CONTAINED IN THE +HONG KONG SHIPPING STATISTICS+ REPORT FOR APRIL TO JUNE 1985, WHICH IS NOW ON SALE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, GENERAL POST OFFICE BUILDING, CONNAUGHT PLACE, AT $12 PER COPY.

ENQUIRIES ON STATISTICS PROVIDED IN THE REPORT MAY BE DIRECTED TO THE SHIPPING STATISTICS SECTION OF THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT, AT TELEPHONE NUMBERS 5-452701 AND 5-455422.

CO-OPERATION IMPROVING STANDARDS OF CONSUMER PROTECTION

*****

THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, MR PIERS JACOBS, TODAY (TUESDAY) UNDERLINED THE IMPORTANCE OF CLOSE CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE CONSUMER COUNCIL IN IMPROVING THE STANDARDS OF CONSUMER PROTECTION.

ADDRESSING A MEETING OF THE CONSUMER COUNCIL, MR JACOBS NOTED THAT QUESTIONS RAISED ABOUT UNFAIR PRACTICES BY A MINORITY OF DISHONEST RETAILERS HAD ILLUSTRATED THE VALUE OF WORKING TOGETHER.

+ THE CONSUMER COUNCIL AND INDEED THE MEDIA, DID MUCH TO DRAW THE ADMINISTRATION'S ATTENTION TO THE FULL EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM,+ HE SAID.

MR JACOBS POINTED OUT THAT STEPPED-UP ENFORCEMENT ACTION HAD BEEN TAKEN UNDER THE EXISTING LAW AND THE GOVERNMENT WAS DEVISING NEW LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENTS. HOWEVER, HE CAUTIONED THAT THE GOVERNMENT DID NOT WANT TO OVERDO THE LEGISLATION BECAUSE OVER- REGULATION COULD BE AS DAMAGING AS NO REGULATION.

+I AM PLEASED TO NOTE THAT STATISTICS SHOW THAT OUR INITIAL EFFORTS AND THE PUBLICITY THAT HAS ATTENDED THEM ARE HAVING AN EFFECT. COMPLAINTS ABOUT MALPRACTICE BY RETAILERS HAVE BEEN DECREASING, HE SAID.

/OUTLINING THE

Page 10Page 11