2001-07-13
Why is it that everyone of these news reports always seem to quote some
luddite from the BWMA? I would think a well balanced article would also
quote someone from a pro-metric organisation as well.
I'll bet the courts are loving these cases. Just think of the revenue they
bring in by letting these luddites fight their case. Just think of the
money that will be brought in from the appeals.
The counsels, judges and lawyers are not dumb. They know a gold mine when
they see it.
John
Keiner ist hoffnungsloser versklavt als derjenige, der irrt�mlich glaubt
frei zu sein.
There are none more hopelessly enslaved then those who falsely believe they
are free!
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)
----- Original Message -----
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Friday, 2001-07-13 13:12
Subject: [USMA:14368] Sutton again
>From Ananova:
> Ananova :
>
>
>
>
>
> 'Metric martyr'
loses court battle
>
>
> Britain's latest
so-called metric martyr has lost his battle to sell
> fruit and
vegetables in pounds and ounces.
>
> Grocer Peter
Collins, 51, from Sutton, Surrey, had claimed that
> Sutton Council had
breached his commercial freedom of
> expression under
the European Human Rights Act by trying to
> force him to sell
in kilos.
>
> He lost his case at
Sutton Magistrates Court aimed at lifting a
> condition on his
licence compelling him to sell his goods in
> metric measurements
in line with European directives.
>
> Costs of �13,000
were awarded to the council, which vowed to
> enforce payment.
>
> After the ruling,
Mr Collins, who has traded from the stall in
> Sutton High Street
for 15 years, said that it was "very probable"
> that he would
appeal.
>
> He said: "It's not
the local council I'm fighting, it's Brussels. The
> outcome of this
case says that we do not make the law and if
> we do not abide by
Brussels' rules then woe betide you. This
> ruling is
effectively saying that I should teach the public the
> metric system and I
do not see why I should do that."
>
> Trading standards
officers had warned Mr Collins that he had to
> sell and advertise
his produce in kilos or face losing his licence.
> The warning came
after undercover officers bought a bunch of
> grapes from him in
imperial weights.
>
> Tony Northcott,
head of health and trading standards at Sutton
> Council, said that
they did not want to drive Mr Collins out of
> business but they
had to enforce the law.
>
> Michael Plumbe),
chairman of the British Weights and
> Measures
Association, said: "It is a perverse decision which is
> a complete negation
of British justice. It is a bad day for British
> justice.
>
> We believe we have
a strong case for appeal now."
>
> The council had
argued that using metric measurements will
> be compulsory by
December 2009 and that confidence in the
> new system will
grow as people get used to dealing in metric
> measurement.
>
> Story filed: 12:27
Friday 13th July 2001
--
UK Metrication Association: http://www.metric.org.uk/
