XN000022-1985-11-20 — Page 12

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1985

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+PROGRESS HAS ALSO BEEN MADE AT THE RETAIL LEVEL WHERE METRIC UNITS ARE NOW USED IN THE LABELLING OF PREPACKAGED FOOD AND DRINKS AND IN A WIDE RANGE OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES, MR HO SAID.

HE ADDED THAT A RECENT SURVEY BY THE COMMITTEE SHOWED THAT 70 PER CENT OF CLOTHING AND FASHION PRODUCTS HAD CONVERTED TO THE NEW SYSTEM.

MR HO SAID MUCH REMAINED TO BE DONE IN THE TRADITIONAL MARKET PLACES WHERE THERE APPEARED TO BE RELUCTANCE TO GOING METRIC.

+WHILE IT IS THE INTENTION OF THE METRICATION COMMITTEE TO CONCENTRATE ITS EFFORTS IN THIS AREA,+ HE SAID, +1 AM AFRAID IT WOULD BE RATHER RASH OF ME TO ATTEMPT ANY FORECAST OF THE LIKELY TIMETABLE FOR THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THIS GOAL.+

TO THE CONSUMER, MR HO SAID, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF METRICATION WOULD REMOVE THE CONFUSION WHICH RESULTED FROM DIFFERENT SYSTEMS BEING USED SIMULTANEOUSLY: IT SHOULD MAKE PRICE COMPARISON EASIER.

+HOWEVER, TO THE EXTENT THAT THE STANDARD UNIT IN THE HAWKER AND MARKET STALLS IS THE CATTY THERE IS ALREADY EASE OF COMPARISON, + HE SAID.

+I SUSPECT THAT THE PRESSURE FOR CHANGE WILL COME THROUGH COMPETITION FROM THE SUPERMARKETS WITH THEIR PREPACKAGED ITEMS WITH METRIC UNITS, HE ADDED.

CONCERN EXPRESSED OVER FALLING WORKERS

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THE NUMBER OF INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS INVOLVING WORKMEN FALLING FROM HEIGHT HAS BEEN AND REMAINS A MAJOR PRIORITY OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, THE HON NEIL HENDERSON, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON YEUNG PO-KWAN AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR HENDERSON SAID THAT THESE CASES WERE VERY CAREFULLY INVESTIGATED AND ANALYSED WITH A VIEW TO IDENTIFYING CAUSES AND SEEKING THE PREVENTIVE MEASURES REQUIRED.

HE SAID,

THE DEPARTMENT'S STRATEGY IN THIS AREA WAS COMPOSED OF THREE BROAD ELEMENTS: LEGAL ENFORCEMENT, EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY.

+AS REGARDS THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK, THE CONSTRUCTION SITES (SAFETY) REGULATIONS WERE AMENDED IN 1983 TO MAKE MORE SPECIFIC PROVISION FOR PERSONS WORKING AT HEIGHT.

/+THESE AMENDMENTS