STANDARDISATION

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 68, 17 September 1936, Page 11

STANDARDISATION

BENEFITS FOR ALL

INSTITUTE STARTS WORK

The first meeting of the Advisory Council of the New Zealand Standards Institute, recently taken over by the Government as a branch of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, was held this morning, Mr. A. R. Galbraith, the Christchurch City Engineer, was in the chair, and the following members were present:—Mr. G. A. Pascoe, council, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research; Dr. W. B. Sutch, consumer interests; Mr. F. B. Stephens (Internal Affairs . Department), local government; Mr. W. L. Newnham, Public Works Department: Mr. S. H. J. Spidey, New Zealand Railway Department; Mr. W. W. Mulholland (president of the New Zealand Farmers' Union), primary producing interests; Dr. E. Marsden, Secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research; Mr. L: J. Schmitt, Department of Industries and Commerce; Mr. J. T. Spears, New Zealand Manufacturers' Federation; Mr. J. Read, Trades and Labour Council; Mr. W. Donovan, Dominion Analyst; Mr. G. A. Lawrence, New Zealand Institute of Chemistry; Mr. H. C. Morton, New Zealand Institute of Architects; Mr. Wyles, electrical; and Mr. F. Wilton, Stores Control Board. The Minister of Industries and Commerce (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan), in opening the proceedings, paid tribute to the work done by the old Standards Institute. That this had become moribund, he said, was due to the failure of industry as a whole to appreciate or support its work. But the present Government attached the very greatest importance to the work of the Standards Institute, and it was sincere in its endeavours to apply that work to the social and economic life of the country. They, were departing from the policy of .most countries, in that the Standards Institute was being made part of a Government Department, but that did not mean that: they would impose their will on industry and commerce without full consultation and cooperation. In the past there had been no true estimate or appreciation of the value of standards to the Country, but he trusted that from now onwards appreciation of the advantages of standards would be manifested.. Twenty-two of the major industrial countries of the world had today adopted standards and were spending large sums in this connection, and standards were going to play a large and important part in the /industrial development of this country. Industry through standards would be placed on a thoroughly sound basis, artificial preps, such as tariff walls, being only temporary expedients. It was the Government's intention that the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research should apply itself to all the problems confronting industries, and in the operations of the Standards Institute, although a start could be made only in a modest way, the whole community stood to benefit. A NATIONAL MOVEMENT. It did not mean only assistance to industrialists: it was a. much bigger thing than that—a great national movement involving all local bodies and social services, too. The Health Department and all other Government Departments were involved, and standards were going to play a huge part in the service to consumers. The primary industries,. too,> would benefit; through neglect and lack of appreciation of the value of standards in;the past, the primary industries had suffered. The flax industry was an example. If sufficient'thought had been given in the past, it could have been built up on'a firm foundation, but this had not been done in the case of this valuable industry, and it was going to be hard work rectifying past errors. ' ■ ...... Mr. Sullivan concluded by stressing the value pf standards in eliminating waste in industry, and he reiterated the advantages to be gained by' the community as a whole. The address by the chairman, Mr. A. R. Galbraith, covered the history of the Standards Institute in New Zealand, the • meaning of standards, and the ways in which standardisation operates for the benefit of both manufacturer and consumer. He stressed the fact that standardisation, to be really effective, should be adopted voluntarily.

The majority of the members of the council expressed individual views on the scope of the work before them, Mr. Mulholland, in particular, stressing the value of standards to the primary producer. He admitted that there were several directions in which, the application of standards to primary produce would be beneficial, and he complimented the fruit growers on having gone as far as any of them along the lines of standardisation.