METRIC MOVES WELCOMED
(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, February 25. After nearly three years experience with the metric system of weights and measures, chemists were right behind the Government’s decision to adopt the metric system in principle, the president of the Chemists’ Service Guild (Mr G. D. Catchpole) said today.
Chemists had been forced to make the change early because most imported drugs and pharmaceutical items were in metric measure. “Once you become familiar with it the metric system is much easier to use than the avoirdupois and linear systems,” Mr Catchpole said. “The sooner it’ is introduced nationally the better.” Representatives of other sections of the business community, including grocers, manufacturers and hoteliers, were generally enthusiastic about the decision on metrication, announced yesterday by the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr Marshall). Cost Of Glasses The chief executive of the Hotel Association (Mr J. J. Williams) welcomed the announcement, although he had some reservations. “I have not had time to study the implications and although it will probably be a good thing in the long
term we could run into some short-term problems,” he said. It would mean the introduction of new glasses, costing from 15c to 23c each. Manufacturers welcomed the announcement said the president of the Manufacturers’ Federation (Dr H. C. Holland). “In some sections of industry metric measurements are already in common use. “In others, particularly where trade is expanding with countries using the metric system, there is a growing need to adopt metric measurements. However this change will have even wider repercussions than the currency change and could be complicated and costly. Therefore it must be approached with caution,” Dr Holland said. “The federation has' been in consultation with the Standards Association about the mechanics of the proposed change and endorses the careful approach by the Metric Advisory Committee."
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31923, 26 February 1969, Page 30
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304METRIC MOVES WELCOMED Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31923, 26 February 1969, Page 30
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