THE METRIC SYSTEM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 12661, 15 September 1904, Page 5

THE METRIC SYSTEM.

DISCUSSED BY THE OTAGO INSTITUTE. [Nt TBLMSKArH. — coerespoxdekt.] Dtrximx, Wednesday. The announcement that the metric system was to be discussed by the members of the Otago Institute last night, led to anticipations that some new and bright light would be thrown on the subject, but it turned out that, owing probably to the absence of the chief speaker, the discussion was rather elementary. Mr. G. M. Thomson, kite science master in the Boys' High .School, urged the general desirableness of having a scientific co-ordination between our standards of weight, capacity, etc. He thought it was only the extraordinary conservatism of the English people that had prevented them from having a scientific system before now. Dr. BenJbam, lecturer on biology at the university, questioned whether th« advantages resultant from the introduction of such a system would outweigh the disadvantages, though he fully recognised the usefulness of having co-ordination between the various standards. He said in America they seemed to have been content to decimalise Only the coinage, and there they managed very well. The cost of altering existing measurements in regard to time, distance, etc., would be enormous, and machinery, too, would have \ tc he altered at great cost, and considerable i inconvenience. Mr. Justice Chapman thought the new system should be brought in gradually. Children should be taught in the schools, not only the necessary arithmetic, but also the meaning of the things ; they learned, before the system was ; brought into business.