XN000022-1990-06-29 — Page 16

15

FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 1990

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (FRIDAY) THE FIGURE REPRESENTED A MONTHLY AVERAGE OF TWO TRADERS BEING BROUGHT то COURT IN THE 12 MONTHS FOLLOWING THE GRACE PERIOD.

"OF THESE TRADERS PROSECUTED, 20 WERE RETAILERS OF VARIOUS FOOD ITEMS SUCH AS SEAFOOD, FRUIT, VEGETABLE AND ROAST MEAT WHILE THE OTHER FOUR WERE SCRAP DEALERS.

HE SAID.

"A TOTAL FINE OF $57,050 HAS BEEN IMPOSED ON THESE

UNDER THE ORDINANCE, THE MAXIMUM PENALTY IS A FINE AND IMPRISONMENT FOR SIX MONTHS.

THE LATEST CASES INVOLVED A ROAST MEAT RETAILER AND DEALERS, WHO WERE FINED A TOTAL OF $7,000 FOR USING WEIGHING INSTRUMENTS.

OFFENDERS,'

"

OF $20,000

TWO SCRAP INACCURATE

THE DEFENDANTS, WHO ALL PLEADED GUILTY TO THE CHARGES, WERE MR CHU KIN-WAH, A ROAST MEAT RETAILER ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF BO WAH BUILDING, 5 TAI MING LANE. TAI PO HUI, NEW TERRITORIES, MR YIU CHUNG-HING OF SO KEE WASTED PAPER METAL ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF 306 UN : CHAU STREET, KOWLOON; AND MR YUNG WONG-FU OF LUEN FAT WASTE PAPER HO ON THE GROUND FLOOR, 142 YEE KUK STREET, SHAM SHUI PO, KOWLOON.

IN ALL THESE CASES, THE DEFENDANTS' WEIGHING FOUND TO BE INACCURATE ON PRELIMINARY CHECKS.

INSTRUMENTS WERE

TESTS BY THE GOVERNMENT LABORATORY LATER REVEALED THAT THE HIGHEST ERRORS OF TWO CHINESE STEELYARDS OWNED BY THE ROAST MEAT RETAILER WERE 10.4 PER CENT AND 12.5 PER CENT IN EXCESS OF THE ACTUAL WEIGHT RESPECTIVELY.

AS FOR THE TWO PLATFORM WEIGHING MACHINES DEALERS, THE HIGHEST ERRORS WERE 24 PER CENT RESPECTIVELY LESS THAN ACTUAL WEIGHT.

OWNED BY THE SCRAP AND 31.49 PER CENT

THE SPOKESMAN SAID ANY PERSON WHO WANTS TO COMPLAIN ABOUT MALPRACTICES IN RESPECT OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES SHOULD CONTACT EITHER THE TRADING STANDARDS INVESTIGATION BUREAU OF THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT (TEL. NO. 714 6146) OR THE CONSUMER COUNCIL.

HE SAID COMPLAINTS COULD ALSO BE MADE TO DUTY OFFICERS OF THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT ON TEL. 852 3185 AFTER NORMAL OFFICE HOURS.

/16