STANDARDS AND WAR

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 297, 12 September 1941, Page 9

STANDARDS AND WAR

Value Of Co-ordination Of Types REGULATED PURCHASING “The standards aspect of the war emergency administration will almost certainly become more important In New Zealand, particularly in relation to supplies,” says the annual report of the New Zealand Standards Institute presented to the House of Representatives by the Minister of Industries and Commerce, Mr. Sullivan. “Sources of supply of essential materials, equipment and commodities are undergoing changes which must result in confusion unless the specifications in use in this country are co-ordinated in order to limit their diversity to thu. practicable minimum,” the report continues. “They must be reconciled, as far as possible, with those in use by the trading interests and users of corresponding goods in those countries which are becoming the new sources of supply of the different groups of commodities. Failure to bring about such co-ordination will make definition and consolidation of orders impossible, and this can result only In prejudicing the Dominion’s position concerning supplies.” ' f The report goes on to state that standardization activity had been greatly increased in nil English-speak-ing countries in order to bring into being the vastly increased and properly defined production of-the most suitable type and quality necessary to satisty the war emergency needs. It had been established on the most competent authority that the full application of the principle of standardization was basic to the successful prosecution of every phase of the war effort. Already lw war emergency standards had been received from England and Australia. A report from the British Standards Institution is quoted to the effect that Wait conditions had contributed to the urgency for standards in distribution. The need for conserving stocks and for using available supplies only in those ways most likely to give the greatest advantage was emphasized, as was the importance of ensuring that s'uperiluity of choice should give place to informed and regulated purchasing. The immediate needs of war all pointed toward a reduction in the number of types and sizes of a large range of household goods, thus eliminating many redundant sizes and types which added at every stage to the cost to the consumer, and gave rise to wasteful methods in prod tic 1 ion and distribution.