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Work of Committees. During the year 13 additional committees were instituted, bringing the total number in existence at the close of the year to 72, with a total membership of 580. The activities of these committees are summarized later in this report. Where the words "in recess appear opposite the name of a committee in this summary they indicate that the committee has had no occasion to meet during the year, either because it has completed its work or because it has been unable to proceed until necessary information, test results, &c., have been obtained. The word ' inactive indicates that it has not been possible to call the committee together on account of demands made by more urgent work. Meetings. One hundred and thirty-two meetings took place during the year. Acknowledgments to Members of Committees. The members of these committees have been appointed by the interests they represent to undertake this work because of their special competency in their particular professions and avocations. Consequently they have many other responsibilities and activities which make heavy demands upon their time and energies. Notwithstanding these heavy demands, rendered still more exacting by war conditions, the members of these committees have continued to make their valuable time, knowledge, and experience available with no thought of reward other than the satisfaction of assisting to advance the welfare of the Dominion. It would be difficult to overestimate the cumulative benefit which accrues to the Dominion from this large-scale voluntary service. It is much regretted that the necessity to economize in the use of paper renders it necessary to omit from this report the names of the members of the committees responsible for such signal service. It is felt, however, that each member will appreciate the necessity, and under existing circumstances will fully endorse every effort to conserve supplies. Executive Committee. During the year seven meetings of the Executive Committee took place, at which 127 reports of committees were examined and the general work of the organization kept under review. I his has greatly facilitated the deliberations of the Standards Council associated with the general direction and supervision of all activities, including consideration of the development and adoption of standard specifications, the circulation of drafts, and the review of committee activities, to which reference is made in other sections of the report. Civil Engineering Divisional Committee. (Four meetings.) Fencing Wire Sub-committee .. .. .. .. • • Inactive. Steel Sub-committee .. .. • ■ • • • • .. In recess. Bridge Loads and Stresses Sub-committee.. .. .. In recess. Cement and Concrete Sub-committee .. .. .. 1 meeting. Parent Committee.- In collaboration with the Standard Conditions of Contract Committee of the New Zealand Institution of Engineers and a representative of the New Zealand Federated Builders and Contractors' Industrial Association of Employers, this committee has completed the formulation of New Zealand Standard Conditions of Tender and General Conditions of Contract for Civil Engineering Works. These standard conditions have now to be subjected to legal scrutiny before they are forwarded to the Standards Council as suitable tor adoption as New Zealand Standards. Ihe need for standard conditions of this scope has long been felt and the promulgation of a national standard will do much to eliminate the disputes which frequently arise when vague and inadequate conditions are in force. It will also provide the means whereby the principal, on the one hand, may have available reliable conditions which are generally accepted, while the contractor, on the other hand, will be relieved of the necessity of assimilating a different set of conditions for each contract entered into. In addition, two draft and four standard specifications from overseas have been referred to the committee for consideration. The following British Standard Specification has been recommended by the committee for adoption as a New Zealand Standard :— B.S.S. 329 1939 : Round Strand Steel Wire Ropes for Lifts and Hoists. Cement and Concrete Sub-Committee. —This sub-committee has completed the formulation of a New Zealand Standard Specification for Reinforced Concrete Pressure Pipes, which has been recommended to the Standards Council as being suitable for adoption as a New Zealand Standard, and has turned its attention to the development of a similar specification for reinforced-concrete drainagepipes, which will shortly be circulated in draft form to the interested parties for review and comment. These two standards will provide local authorities and other purchasers of reinforced-concrete pipes with reliable specifications to which these pipes may be bought. In addition, by laying down uniform test requirements and conditions, they will enable manufacturers to know in advance the requirements of the users, and so achieve valuable economies in production. During the year two draft and two standard specifications received from overseas have been referred to the sub-committee for examination. The following British Standard Specification has been recommended for adoption as a revision of the existing New Zealand Standard of the same scope: B.S.S. 12-1940 : Ordinary Portland and Rapid Hardening Portland Cement. (Amended to suit New Zealand conditions.)

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