“Keelo”

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33579, 6 July 1974, Page 12

“Keelo”

Sir, —Our country has wisely adopted a coherent system of measurement to which the term kilogram, as a unit of mass belongs, and as such it is becoming a household word. 1 am sure we are all doing our best to adapt, but television announcers who persist in saying “keelo” whenever kilogram is intended are not helping. -As the television influence is powerful, surely the N.Z.B.C. has a responsibility to avoid loose or incorrect terminology by which people could be misguided. — Yours etc.. W R F

June 25, 1974. [Mr J. N. M. Norman, regional director of the Southern New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation, replies: “The corporation has agreed with the Metric Advisory Board to use the spoken form ‘kilogram’ in all contexts. This is to assist the board with its programme of introducing people, particularly children to the proper metric terminology. The only exception is the use of the abbreviation ‘kilo,’ spoken as ‘keelo,’ in reporting on wool prices in which this term is long established and will be retained. If, therefore, your correspondent refers to other than wool sale reports his complaint is well founded and noted.”]