XN000022-1990-01-23 — Page 10

TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1990

A PRELIMINARY CHECK ON THE BALANCE SHOWED THAT THE WEIGHING EQUIPMENT WAS INACCURATE AND A SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION BY THE GOVERNMENT LABORATORY FOUND THAT THE HIGHEST ERROR WAS 68 PER CENT IN EXCESS OF ACTUAL WEIGHT.

LEE WAS FINED $3,000 AT THE WESTERN MAGISTRACY ON JANUARY 16 AFTER HE PLEADED GUILTY TO THE CHARGE.

THE FOURTH CASE WAS BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT AFTER A COMPLAINT ON THE HO CHUN KEE ROAST MEAT STALL IN CHOI YUEN ESTATE MARKET, SHEUNG SHUI HAD BEEN RECEIVED FROM THE PUBLIC.

OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT VISITED THE DEFENDANT'S MEAT STALL ON SEPTEMBER 11 LAST YEAR. A STEELYARD USED IN THE SELLING OF ROAST MEAT WAS FOUND TO BE INACCURATE ON A PRELIMINARY CHECK.

THE WEIGHING EQUIPMENT WAS LATER TESTED BY THE GOVERNMENT LABORATORY AND A HIGHEST ERROR OF 31.25 PER CENT IN EXCESS OF THE ACTUAL WEIGHT WAS FOUND.

HO KWAI-MUI, PROPRIETOR OF THE STALL, PLEADED GUILTY TO THE CHARGE AT THE FANLING MAGISTRACY TODAY (TUESDAY) AND WAS FINED $3,000.

THE CHIEF TRADE CONTROLS OFFICER OF THE CONSUMER PROTECTION DIVISION OF THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT, MR ANDREW WONG, SAID THE DEPARTMENT HAD RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 94 COMPLAINTS ABOUT WEIGHTS AND MEASURES IN THE 12 MONTHS FOLLOWING IMPLEMENTATION OF THE

ORDINANCE.

"OF THESE COMPLAINTS, 45 ARE NOT SUBSTANTIATED, 33 SUBSTANTIATED AND 16 OTHERS ARE STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION.

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"AS FOR THE COMPLAINTS WHICH ARE SUBSTANTIATED, WRITTEN WARNINGS HAVE BEEN ISSUED TO 20 TRAVERS, 10 TRADERS HAVE BEEN PROSECUTED AND THREE OTHER CASES ARE EXPECTED TO BE BROUGHT 'TO COURT SHORTLY.

"THE WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ORDINANCE CARRIES A MAXIMUM FINE OF $20,000 PLUS SIX MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT, MR WONG SAID.

IF ANY PERSON WANTS TO MAKE ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT MALPRACTICES IN RESPECT OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES, HE MAY CONTACT EITHER THE TRADING STANDARDS INVESTIGATION BUREAU OF THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT (TEL. NO. 7146146) OR THE CONSUMER COUNCIL.

COMPLAINTS MAY ALSO BE MADE TO THE DUTY OFFICERS OF THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT ON 8523185 AFTER NORMAL OFFICE HOURS.

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