Ms Lam, who had bought a beauty package at Mence Beauty, decided to quit due to unsatisfactory progress. She felt it was strange that the beauty salon wanted to charge her a 'handling fee' for the 12-month instalment plan, a fee she had never heard of. 'The story started last November when I agreed to purchase a beauty package at HK$23,094, including 55 sessions of slim body service and three bottles of product which could help me to firm my body during the process. 'I was told that I could do a 12-month instalment plan through Standard Chartered Bank, which would direct debit my credit card HK$1,924.50 every month until October 2007. 'After three months' treatment provided by the company, I was not satisfied with the result and requested the suspension of the service and stopping of the remaining instalments. 'A customer service manager of Mence Beauty's Central branch said HK$924 would have to be deducted due to the company already having paid that amount to the bank. 'I have asked advice from the Consumer Council, which suggested I oppose this offer because those handling charges usually are not transferred to the customer. I spoke to Mence Beauty a couple of times and it agreed to pay 50 per cent of the handling charge. 'Now, I was wondering if you can help me share with the public an important thing: the reason I have had a conflict with Mence Beauty is that we didn't sign a written sale and purchase agreement beforehand.' Mence Beauty has fully refunded Ms Lam and promised it would not asked for such charges in dealing with similar cases. A spokeswoman for the company said: 'We have bargained with the bank on behalf of Ms Lam and got the money back. Customers in similar circumstances need not pay such charges.' Author Cecilie Gamst Berg says she is absent-mined and sometimes forgets to take her things with her when she disembarks from ferries between Mui Wo and Central. She said that since First Ferry took over the service, she has never been able to retrieve anything. In the latest incident, she lost her laptop computer containing the draft for her new book. 'Before First Ferry took over I could rely on staff to hand the stuff back to me, whereas afterwards I've been unable to retrieve a single left-behind item,' she said. 'A quick survey among my friends in Mui Wo tells the same story. People tell me they have experienced being the very last person to leave the ferry, only to realise before even crossing the gangplank that they've left, for example, their mobile on the seat. Running back to the seat they will then have found their mobile gone, with staff telling them it must have been stolen by a passenger. 'Perhaps I would have kept writing off the things I lose on the ferry as an inevitable part of life, if I hadn't inexplicably left my laptop on a ferry on January 14. I was the last passenger to get off, yet staff insisted when questioned 11/2 hours later that it must have been stolen by a passenger. The police said the same. 'That laptop had my new book on it. It was painful to think of thieves deleting three years' worth of writing. My e-mails of complaint to First Ferry have gone unanswered, so I presume the company takes little interest in it.' New World First Ferry said it had tried to help her find her computer. 'Upon receiving the inquiry, staff of First Ferry had arranged an on-site search for the passenger with the assistance of the police and replied to the passenger and the police that no laptop computer was found on board,' First Ferry corporate communications manager Josephine Lam said. 'Moreover, First Ferry also replied to the passenger via e-mail that no laptop was found on January 14.' Ms Lam said ferry staff were all trained in customer service, including helping to protect property. 'Since service commencement in 2000, First Ferry's staff are committed to uphold our corporate mission, Customer First and Foremost, with sincerity and integrity. Staff have been trained to observe procedures on handling lost and found items and we have received compliments for effectiveness and integrity demonstrated by staff.'' Tourist John Cunningham wishes to thank Yan Chai Hospital and Panda Hotel for the excellent care they provided for him after his health problems last week. 'My wife and I arrived in Hong Kong on January 23 for a holiday exploring the New Territories. On arrival I was fit and well but within a day my health deteriorated resulting in an emergency abdominal operation,' he wrote. 'I wish to thank the surgeon and operating room personnel, doctors, medical and general ward staff at Yan Chai Hospital, who were excellent and looked after me so well. I would also like to thank the guest service manager at the Panda Hotel who helped me.'