XN000022-1987-07-08 — Page 60

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 1987

GOVERNMENT URGED TO EDUCATE PUBLIC ON WEIGHTS BILL

POSITIVE

STEPS

TO

THE GOVERNMENT MUST TAKE

MAKE SURE THAT THOSE AFFECTED BY THE WEIGHTS AND MEASURES (AMENDMENT) BILL 1987 MUST OBLIGATION, THE BE GIVEN EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THEIR LEGAL HON MRS SELINA CHOW SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SECOND SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE

READING OF THE BILL, MRS CHOW SAID SHE SUPPORTED WHOLE-HEARTEDLY THE PASSAGE OF THE BILL AND URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO SPARE NO EFFORT IN PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS TO ENSURE THAT THE DETAILS AND PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF ITS CONTENT WOULD BE CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD, ESPECIALLY AMONGST HAWKERS AND STREET TRADERS, WHOSE DAILY DEALINGS WERE NECESSARILY CONCERNED.

"I WELCOME THIS BILL AS A LONG OVERDUE MOVE ΤΟ UPDATE AND MODERNISE WEIGHTS AND MEASURES LEGISLATION AND IN

то PARTICULAR PROTECT CONSUMERS FROM FRAUDULENT OR UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES IN CONNECTION WITH QUANTITY," SHE SAID.

MRS CHOW RECALLED THAT AS EARLY AS 1975, A WORKING GROUP WAS SET UP BY GOVERNMENT TO REVIEW THE ANTIQUATED WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ORDINANCE ORIGINALLY ENACTED IN 1885.

WITH THE HELP OF

"AND AFTER CONTINUOUS ROUNDS OF DELIBERATION, OVERSEAS EXPERTISE AS WELL AS LOCAL INPUT INCLUDING VIEWS FROM THE

THE ADMINISTRATION HAS DISTRICT BOARD AND THE CONSUMER COUNCIL,

AT

LAST COME UP WITH THE BILL.

"

IN

MRS CHOW ADDED: "THE CONSUMER COUNCIL, ON OUR PART,

IS LOOKING INTO THE POSSIBILITY OF INSTALLING A CALIBRATED WEIGHING MACHINE EVERY DISTRICT ADVICE CENTRE, SO THAT CONSUMERS CAN RESORT TO A DEPENDABLE STANDARD WHEN THEY SUSPECT FRAUDULENT TRADING.

ON ENFORCEMENT, SHE SAID THAT WHILE SHE AGREED THAT DIRECT CONTROL ON WEIGHING DEVICES MIGHT BE DIFFICULT TO IMPOSE, ENFORCEMENT STAFF SHOULD HAVE THE POWER TO DEMAND A CERTIFICATE OF CALIBRATION INSTRUMENTS USED IN TRADES WHICH WERE SUSPECT.

"THE CALIBRATION LABORATORY OF THE INDUSTRY BE ABLE TO HANDLE THIS WITH EASE, MRS CHOW SAID.

#t

ON

DEPARTMENT SHOULD

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