XN000022-1991-04-21 — Page 2

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SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 1991

COMPLAINTS AGAINST WEIGHTS AND MEASURES MALPRACTICES ON THE RISE

NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS THERE HAS BEEN A MARKED INCREASE IN THE AGAINST WEIGHTS AND MEASURES MALPRACTICES IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR AS COMPARED WITH THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.

AND FIGURES RELEASED BY THE CUSTOMS

EXCISE DEPARTMENT TODAY THE FIRST THREE (SUNDAY) SHOWED THAT 57 COMPLAINTS WERE RECEIVED IN

PERIOD LAST MONTHS OF THIS YEAR WHILE THERE WERE ONLY 32 IN THE SAME YEAR.

TRADING THE PRINICPAL TRADE CONTROLS OFFICER OF THE

STANDARDS SAID CONSUMERS WERE BECOMING INVESTIGATION BUREAU, MR ANDREW WONG,

GIVEN MORE WILLING TO COMPLAIN WHEN THEY SUSPECTED THAT THEY HAD BEEN SHORT WEIGHTS OR MEASURES.

"POSTERS PUBLICISING A COMPLAINTS HOTLINE, WHICH ARE ALSO REMIND CONSUMERS AT MARKETS OR OTHER PUBLIC PLACES, RIGHT TO REPORT SUCH MALPRACTICES, HE SAID.

**

"SINCE THE WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ORDINANCE CAME INTO OF HAS RECEIVED 389 COMPLAINTS, 1989, THE DEPARTMENT

AND 25 CONCERNED THE USE OF INACCURATE WEIGHING EQUIPMENT THE USE OF INACCURATE MEASURING EQUIPMENT.

ARE

OF

THE AGAINST

USE IMPROPER WEIGHING METHOD OR SHORT WEIGHT

"THE OTHERS

MEASUREMENT,

WONG SAID.

DISPLAYED OF THEIR

EFFECT IN WHICH

327

CONCERNED

UNAUTHORISED

OF

UNIT OF GOODS, MR

**

BROUGHT ΤΟ COURT

AS A RESULT, A TOTAL OF 65 TRADERS HAD BEEN

FOR OFFENCES UNDER THE ORDINANCE AND THE FINES AMOUNTED TO $158,550.

THE LATEST

INVOLVED CASES

FOUR

FRUIT RETAILERS, TOTAL OF $13,500

A

FISH FOR USING

RETAILER AND A GROCER WHO WERE FINED A INACCURATE WEIGHING INSTRUMENTS.

CASES,

GOVERNMENT CONDUCTED BY THE

THEIR WEIGHING INSTRUMENTS IN EXCESS OF THE ACTUAL

IN ALL THESE

TEST'S

OF READINGS LABORATORY SHOWED THAT THE WERE FROM 2.52 PER CENT TO 23.44 PER CENT WEIGHTS.

IN RESPECT OF WEIGHTS STANDARDS INVESTIGATION BUREAU

ANY PERSON WISHING TO MAKE COMPLAINTS AND MEASURES MAY CONTACT THE TRADING ON TEL. 714 6146 OR THE CONSUMER COUNCIL.

COMPLAINTS MAY ALSO BE REPORTED TO THE DEPARTMENT ON TEL. 852 3185 AFTER OFFICE HOURS,

DUTY OFFICERS OF THE

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