DISPELLING SAUSAGE MYSTERY LEGEND

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 20, 18 October 1941, Page 13

DISPELLING SAUSAGE MYSTERY LEGEND

One Of Many Standards

Institute Projects

WIDE AND IMPORTANT FIELDS OF INQUIRY

Housewives and all consumers of sausages will learn with interest that these much-slandered but unfailinglypopular delicacies will, when investigational work by the Standards Institute is completed, have all their elements of alleged mystery cleared up by being brought within standards of quality and description. This is but one of the 100 or so projects, ranging from the drafting of specifications for electrodes in metallic arc welding to the determination of retail meat grades, which have been initiated or are now in progress by the New Zealand Standards Institute. Considerable headway has been made along the lines of establishing commodity specifications, and it is reported that trade and business interests concerned are co-operating. The establishment of definite meat grades, which is one line of inquiry, should, it is claimed, end any confusion existing as to quality. Canned fruits and vegetables are likely to have their solid contents, instead of net contents, which include liquids, determined.

It is possible that there will be a simplification, for footwear, but not to the extent of regimenting style tor fashion, as any restriction, on initiative and enterprise in this direction would defeat its own principles. It is intended also to set up purchasing standards for textiles, particularly towels and sheeting. Candles and soaps will come within the scope of the general activities envisaged. Paints, varnishes and detergents, deafaid apparatus, household taps, drum plugs, concrete draining-pipes and concrete roofing tiles are further articles receiving attention. Work under way on the compilation of commodity standards promises to lead into wide and important fields of investigation. 380 Specifications. The New Zealand Standards Institute was established ■within the organization of the Institute of Engineering in 1932, but was not sufficiently supported by private interests to enable it to function effectively, so it was taken over by the Government in 1936. It has now adopted 380 standard specif!-, cations, and an extensive work has been the compilation of codes of build- > ing by-laws. Six parts of these have' been issued, another six will probably be issued within the next six months, and the remaining five are contemplated at a later period. Indicative of the extent to which the institute is functioning is the fact that last year it sold 16,000 specifications. With wartime emergencies pressing for the utmost economy in the utilization of materials, and for the most effective grouping of production, the work of the Standards Institute has assumed a very important aspect, in its relation with industry, and its activities have received a marked stimulation. It has been recognized for some time that standardization is minimizing the effects of shortages of raw materials. Practically every major American industry has co-operated with its allied or related industries in standardizing products or commodities of mutual interest. In Great Britain a reduction in the sizes of nuts and bolt heads, consequent upon the issue of an emergency standards resulted in a very substantial saving of steel. A 10 per cent, saving of steel used in the manufacture of steel tubes and tubulars has been effected by the reduction of their wall thickness by one gauge. Usual Procedure.

Without standardization it is recognized there cannot be division of labour and specialized production. When it is found by users, producers or manufacturers that there is need for a standard to decrease costs, and increase output, the question is examined and discussed with those making the submissions, and is then referred to the council of the institute for approval. If it is decided to go on with it, it is referred to a special committee to deal with the group of industries involved. The institute has some 5000 national standard specifications from all English-speaking countries, besides those of a great number of trade organizations. It may be found that one of these overseas specifications is applicable to New Zealand in its broad provisions and subject to adaptation to meet local conditions, it may become the nucleus of a New Zealand standard. From this a provisional draft is made, and technicians, advisers and manufacturers hammer out what is desirable within practical considerations. Draft specifications are then submitted to a representative committee which discusses them clause by clause. They are next circulated to the interests involved, with requests for comment, which is then collated and goes back to the committee for examination, with a view to useful amendment of the clauses. Specifications are then completed and recommended for adoption as a New Zealand standard. They are referred to the Minister for approval. Appreciation has been expressed by manufacturing firms overseas concerning the assistance these standards afford in the type of equipment and commodities required for the New Zealand market. It is pointed out that standardization, no matter how extensive, does not restrict research or the adoption of new and improved methods. Indeed, it greatly facilitates advances. Standardization, it is considered, prevents large-scale wastage of manpower and materials through the manufacture of several types of goods for the same purpose; also the manufacture of goods so inferior that their service life is greatly reduced. It minimizes the super-elaboration of goods, the application of useless patterns, dimensions, methods, and general practices.