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WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ACT. The regulations under the Act provide for the reverification of weights, measures, and weighing and measuring instruments in use for trade purposes. This work was again carried out during the year, and the articles so dealt with, together with new weights, &c., verified, are summarized hereunder : —
There has been some criticism of the provision requiring an annual reverification of appliances within ten miles of the main towns in the Dominion and, while it is a fact that there has been a considerable improvement in the standard of equipment used, the above statistics indicate that at the present time an extension of the period is not desirable. In addition to the reverification work referred to, the Department has carried out surprise tests of appliances 011 the owner's premises, 12,828 visits being made to business premises in this connection. The net weight and standard weight provisions of the regulations also received attention, 2,697 visits of inspection being made. There were 75 prosecutions for various breaches under this Act, convictions being obtained in 62 cases, and fines amounting to £114 being imposed. Verification fees earned totalled £9,223 2s. Id. (previous year, £7,858 lis. 3d.) ; increase, £1,364 10s. lOd. During the period the following thirty-one new designs of weighing and measuring instruments were submitted for approval for use for trade in the Dominion, viz. : — Weighing — Overhead-track scales .. . . . . . . .. 1 Milk-weighing scales.. .. . . . . . . . • 2 Platform scales .. .. .. . • • • ■ ■ .. 2 Self-indicating counter scales .. .. .. . • 1 .. 8 Personal-weighing machines .. . . .. .. .. .. 5 Measuring — Oil-measuring instruments .. .. .. .. ■ • .. 1 Petrol-pumps and equipment .. .. .. • • .. 6 Drum-filling instruments .. .. . . . ■ . . 4 Grease-measuring instruments .. .. .. • • .. 1 Glass oil-measures (subdivided) .. .. .. . ■ .. 1 Total 31 Of these, 15 have been approved, 5 rejected, and 16 are still under consideration ; in practically all cases alterations have had to be called for to bring them into compliance with the regulations. During the year regulations were gazetted covering personal-weighing machines. The regulations apply only to personal-weighing machines for which a charge is made, and provide for certain structural requirements ; also the errors permissible on verification and inspection are prescribed. The adoption of automatic ticket-printing personal-weighing machines introduces a type of " blind " weighing machine. Certain types have been permitted, but final approval is being withheld until extended tests have been made. The Department is in close touch with the British Board of Trade and the Australian weights and measures authorities, with a view to preventing appliances possessing objectionable features, and which may have been rejected in other countries, from being dumped into the Dominion. LEAD POISONING. Inspections of all premises where lead processes are carried on have been made during the year, also frequent inspections have been made of coach-painting and other factories for the purpose of ensuring that adequate safeguards are provided for workers operating paint-spraying apparatus. Inspectors have acted in conjunction with the officers of the Health Department and requisitions have been served where necessary to provide booths and efficient exhaust plant to carry away dust and fumes. In one large plant where the process of enamelling baths and sinks is carried on, extensive alterations and improvements were made during the year to remove as far as possible any risk of lead poisoning.
c , ... , i T , Percentage of InSubmitted. Incorrect. accurate Appliances. | Weights .. .. .. .. 37,466 5,666 15-1 Measures 7,917 279 3-5 Weighing-instruments .. .. .. 23,328 2,853 J 2-2 Measuring-instruments .. .. .. 6,232 1,932 31-0 Bottles —milk, cream, or oil .. .. 289,759 . 2,224. 0-77 364,702 J 12,954