XN000022-1991-09-23 — Page 4

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1991

3

SHOPS FINED FOR INACCURATE INSTRUMENTS OR SHORT WEIGHTS

A

RESTAURANT WERE USING INACCURATE

TEN FOOD RETAILERS, AN ELECTRONIC SHOP AND FINED A TOTAL OF $32,000 IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS FOR WEIGHING INSTRUMENTS OR GIVING SHORT WEIGHTS OF GOODS TO CUSTOMERS.

BY THE

THEY WERE PROSECUTED

CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT COME INTO EFFECT UNDER THE WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ORDINANCE WHICH HAS FOR NEARLY THREE YEARS.

THE

IN THE CASES INVOLVING INACCURATE GOVERNMENT LABORATORY SHOWED THAT 21.88 PER CENT IN EXCESS OF THE ACTUAL WEIGHTS.

INSTRUMENTS,.

WERE READINGS

TESTS BY THE FROM 3.55 TO

AS FOR THE CASES ON SHORT WEIGHTS, THE PERCENTAGE WAS FROM 14.85 TO ABOUT 20 PER CENT.

OF SHORTAGE

THE PRINCIPAL TRADE CONTROLS OFFICER OF THE DEPARTMENT'S A TOTAL TRADING STANDARDS INVESTIGATION BUREAU, MR ANDREW WONG, SAID

MEASURES MALPRACTICES HAD BEEN OF 150 COMPLAINTS ABOUT WEIGHTS AND RECEIVED FROM THE PUBLIC 30 FAR THIS YEAR.

"IN ADDITION TO ACTING ON ALSO CONDUCTED 323 SPOT CHECKS ENSURE THAT ACCURATE

*

USED, HE SAID.

WEIGHING

MR WONG SAID A TOTAL FINE

COMPLAINTS, ON RETAILERS OR MEASURING

CUSTOMS OFFICERS HAVE SO FAR THIS YEAR TO INSTRUMENTS ARE BEING

$210,350

OF

HAD BEEN

IMPOSED ON

OFFENDERS SINCE THE ORDINANCE CAME INTO EFFECT IN 1989.

IN

FINE

WRIGHTS AND SIX MONTHS'

HE REMINDED TRADERS THAT THE MAXIMUM PENALTY UNDER THE MEASURES IMPRISONMENT.

AND

ORDINANCE

WAS

$20,000

ANY PERSON WISHING TO MAKE MEASURES MAY CONTACT THE TRADING TEL. 714 6146.

COMPLAINTS

AND WEIGHTS ABOUT INVESTIGATION STANDARDS

BUREAU ON

COMPLAINTS MAY

DEPARTMENT ON TEL.

ALSO BE 852 3185

REPORTED TO DUTY OFFICERS AFTER NORMAL OFFICE

OF

THE

OR HOURS,

THE

CONSUMER COUNCIL.

REMINDER ON PROPER LABELLING FOR PREPACKAGED FOOD

* * *

DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH THAT

FOOD REMINDED IN PREPACKAGED FORM, BE PROPERLY MARKED AS AND

THE

TODAY (MONDAY) FOOD ITEMS MANUFACTURERS AND RETAILERS WHETHER COMPLETELY OR PARTIALLY PACKED, MUST REQUIRED BY THE THIRD SCHEDULE OF THE FOOD AND DRUGS (COMPOSITION LABELLING) REGULATIONS.

OFFENDERS ARE LIABLE TO A MAXIMUM PENALTY OF AND SIX MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT.

$25,000 IN FINE

14