Melamine claim rejected

Hong Kong's Small Claims Tribunal has rejected a compensation bid four Chinese mainland parents mounted against a Fonterra company after their children were poisoned in the melamine milkpowder scandal two years ago.

They had sought about HK$84,000 ($16,000) from the Hong Kong-based Fonterra Brands, which was a 43 per cent shareholder of the Sanlu joint venture on the mainland. Sanlu is now defunct.

The tribunal adjudicator said mainland courts were the appropriate place for such compensation claims, RTHK television channel reported.