XN000022-1994-08-01 — Page 8

MONDAY, AUGUST 1, 1994

TRADERS FINED FOR SUPPLYING UNSAFE BABIES' DUMMIES

THREE TRADERS WERE FINED A TOTAL OF $53,000 TODAY (MONDAY) FOR SUPPLYING 15,432 BABIES DUMMIES WHICH FAILED то MEET THE SAFETY STANDARDS SET OUT IN THE TOY'S AND CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS SAFETY ORDINANCE.

THREE DEFENDANTS, PROPRIETORS OF SUNWAY COMPANY, WINSOME COME LIMITED AND WELFORE COMPANY LIMITED, PLEADED GUILTY IN SHA TIN MAGISTRRACY TODAY (MONDAY). ONE DEFENDANT WAS FINED $33,000 WHILE THE OTHER TWO WERE FINED $10,000 EACH.

THIS IS THE FIRST PROSECUTION INSTITUTED BY THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT AGAINST SUPPLIERS OF BABIES' DUMMIES UNDER THE TOY'S AND CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS SAFETY ORDINANCE SINCE IT HAS COME INTO OPERATION FROM JULY 1, 1993,

THE COURT HEARD TODAY (MONDAY) THAT ACTING ON INFORMATION, CUSTOMS OFFICERS RAIDED THE BUSINESS PREMISES OF THE THREE DEFENDANTS IN FO TAN IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER LAST YEAR AND SEIZED THE GOODS IN QUESTION.

THE BABIES DUMMIES WERE LATER CONFIRMED BY THE GOVERNMENT LABORATORY AS NOT MEETING THE SAFETY STANDARDS SET OUT IN THE TOY'S AND CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS SAFETY ORDINANCE.

THE MAJOR NON-COMPLIANCE OF THE GOODS WAS THAT THE FLANGES WERE TOO SMALL WHICH ALLOWED THE DUMMIES TO BE PULLED THROUGH THE TEMPLATE WHEN TESTED. THE DIAMETER OF THE VENTILATION HOLES IN THE FLANGES WAS ALSO LESS THAN THE STANDARD FIVE MILLIMETRES. THESE WOULD POSE POTENTIAL HAZARDS TO CONSUMERS.

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UNDER THE TOY'S AND CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS ORDINANCE, THE MAXIMUM PENALTY FOR FIRST CONVICTION OF OFFENCES RELATING TO MANUFACTURE, IMPORT OR SUPPLY OF UNSAFE TOYS AND CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS IS A FINE $100,000 AND IMPRISONMENT FOR ONE YEAR, AND THAT FOR SUBSEQUENT CONVICTION IS A FINE OF $500,000 AND IMPRISONMENT FOR TWO YEARS.

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WATER STORAGE FIGURE

STORAGE IN HONG KONG'S RESERVOIRS AT 9 AM TODAY (MONDAY) STOOD AT 90 PER CENT OF CAPACITY OR 527.488 MILLION CUBIC METRES.

THIS TIME LAST YEAR THE RESERVOIRS CONTAINED 438.540 MILLION CUBIC METRES OF WATER, REPRESENTING 74.8 PER CENT OF CAPACITY.

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