XN000022-1990-04-16 — Page 6

5

MONDAY, APRIL 16, 1990

MOST

FOOD RETAILERS RECEIVED MOST COMPLAINTS * * * * *

COMPLAINTS

ABOUT

OR MEASURING

TO TODAY

INACCURATE WEIGHING INSTRUMENTS WERE LODGED AGAINST FOOD

ACCORDING RETAILERS, STATISTICS RELEASED BY THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT

(MONDAY).

EFFECT ON

INTO SINCE THE WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ORDINANCE CAME JANUARY 1, 1989, THE DEPARTMENT HAS RECEIVED 126 COMPLAINTS, OF WHICH 88 WERE DIRECTED AGAINST

OF FRUIT, VEGETABLES, SEAFOOD, POULTRY AND MEAT.

RETAILERS

THE PRINCIPAL TRADE CONTROLS OFFICER OF THE DEPARTMENT'S

MR ANDREW

SAID TRADING STANDARDS INVESTIGATION BUREAU,

WONG, BUSINESSES SUCH AS REMAINING CASES WERE IN RESPECT OF

RESTAURANTS, DEPARTMENT STORES, SUPERMARKETS AND HAWKING.

THE

"NEARLY ALL. THE CASES WERE ABOUT THE USE OF INACCURATE

WEIGHT OF GOODS,' WEIGHING AND MEASURING EQUIPMENT AND ON THE SHORT HE SAID.

"

MR WONG SAID THE DEPARTMENT HAD SO FAR PROSECUTED 17 RETAILERS, WHO HAD BEEN FINED A TOTAL OF $43,050.

A RETAILER,

OF

THE LATEST CASES INVOLVED A FRUIT AND A POULTRY RETAILER, WHO WERE FINED A TOTAL INACCURATE WEIGHING INSTRUMENTS.

FISH

RETAILER USING

FOR $6,500

HUI SIU-FONG,

PING-LAM, A

THE DEFENDANTS, WHO ALL PLEADED GUILTY, WERE MS A FRUIT RETAILER AT 80 CHUNG ON STREET, TSUEN WAN; MR HO POULTRY RETAILER AT 10A POPLAR STREET, SHAM SHUI PO; AND MR CHOI KONG, THE OPERATOR OF A FISH STALL AT TO KWA WAN ROAD.

MARKET,

165 MA TAU

WEI

INSTRUMENTS WERE IN ALL THREE CASES, THE DEFENDANTS' WEIGHING

GOVERNMENT FOUND TO BE INACCURATE ON PRELIMINARY CHECKS. TESTS BY THE LABORATORY LATER SHOWED THAT THE ERRORS RANGED FROM 18.75 PER CENT 20.16 PER CENT IN EXCESS OF THE ACTUAL WEIGHT.

ΤΟ

MALPRACTICES THE TRADING AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT

MR WONG SAID ANY PERSON WANTING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT IN RESPECT TO WEIGHTS AND MEASURES SHOULD CONTACT EITHER STANDARDS INVESTIGATION BUREAU OF THE CUSTOMS (TEL. NO. 714 6146) OR THE CONSUMER COUNCIL.

OF THE CUSTOMS

"COMPLAINTS MAY ALSO BE MADE TO DUTY OFFICERS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT ON 852 3185 AFTER NORMAL OFFICE HOURS.

"TO HELP PUBLICISE THE

COMPLAINTS

CUSTOMS

AND IN ALL

THE HOTLINE,

PROMINENT PLACES EXCISE DEPARTMENT HAS DISPLAYED POSTERS IN RETAIL AND WHOLESALE MARKETS IN THE TERRITORY," HE ADDED.

0

16