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the affected trading and consumer interests. It should be emphasized that Standard Specifications do not remain static, but are a statement of the soundest trade practice known at a given time, which incorporates advances as these are attained throughout subsequent periods. Contrary to popular misconception, Standard Specifications do not curb inventive genius or fetter the expression of aasthetic values in style, design, or in any other way. The procedure which has been laid down to govern the issue of licenses is simple, but it nevertheless provides adequate safeguards to ensure that the Mark will not be used in a way that will destroy its value as a means of certifying the quality, utility, and performance capacity of the commodities on, or in connection with, which it is used. TECHNOLOGICAL STANDARDIZATION Due to the acceleration of standardization, activities in other English-speaking countries, arising out of the necessities of war conditions, the technical committees have been called upon to undertake a correspondingly heavier volume of work associated with the examination and review of the increasing number of standard specifications relating to civil, mechanical and electrical engineering, chemistry, building construction, and related subjects. A summary of the review of these specifications appears on page 12 of this report. Some of the overseas specifications recommended for adoption as New Zealand Standard Specifications have not yet been adopted, as the subject-matter of these specifications relates to more than one section of the work and it is necessary to refer them to more than one committee for examination. The committees have also undertaken a heavier volume of work in connection with the development of original New Zealand Standard Specifications relating in particular to building-materials, constructional methods, and processes by which building-materials are rendered resistant to weathering, fire, insect, and fungoid attack. Civil Engineering Sectional Committee. -The consideration of overseas specifications in order to determine whether they were suitable for adoption here constituted the main activity of this committee and its sub-committees. Five British Standard Specifications have been examined, and of these, two have been recommended for adoption as revisions of existing New Zealand Standard Specifications. Two amendments to British Standards already adopted have been recommended for incorporation in the corresponding New Zealand Standard Specifications. One American Standard has been examined, but found unsuitable for adoption. Concrete drainage -pipes.- An Emergency Standard Specification for pro-cast concrete drainage pipes has been completed during the year. This specification will simplify manufacturing problems and will consequently be of advantage to both manufacturers and users in that it will concentrate production on standard lines, sizes, and qualities. Performance requirements, test pressures, ultimate strength, and similar features are covered, together with provisions relating to joints and jointing. This Standard Specification, together with those for Reinforced Concrete and Salt-glazed Ware Pipes, affords a valuable aid to local authorities, engineers, and others concerned with the supply, purchase, and installation of pipe-lines for reticulation and drainage purposes. Mechanical Sectional Committee. —This committee has undertaken extensive work in connection with the consideration of overseas specifications. It has examined and directed for circulation and comment eleven draft British Standards, the comments received having been transmitted to the British Standards Institution. The committee has also examined sixty-one British, seven Australian, and three American Standard Specifications. Of the British Standard Specifications, seventeen were recommended for adoption as regular New Zealand Standard Specifications, and six as New Zealand Emergency Standard Specifications. Three amendment slips to British Standards already adopted were recommended for incorporation in the corresponding New Zealand Standard Specifications, and one emergency amendment was dealt with similarly. Three revised Emergency Standard Specifications were recommended for adoption to replace the three corresponding Standards previously adopted, while one Regular Standard was recommended for withdrawal. Soft Solder.—With the object of assisting the urgent necessity to economize in the use of tin during the war emergency, a Standard Specification specifying the composition of seven types of solder has been issued. The specification also stipulates the purposes for which each type of solder should be used in order to prevent the waste that occurs if solder with a high tin content is used for work which can be satisfactorily carried out with solder with a lower tin content. Gauges.—After careful investigation of the considerations relating to the use of gauges in New Zealand, the British Standard Recommended Designs for Plug, Ring, and Gap Gauges have been adopted with the addition of a local supplement specifying a further design for gap gauges which experience has shown to satisfy a need here over and above what is met by the British Standard. The specification covers all the gauges for pre-set dimensions which are generally used in precision engineering and stipulates the design and degree of accuracy of the gauges in order to eliminate as far as possible variations in the checking and testing of measurements and tolerances and so avoid the loss of production that occurs due to lack of sufficient uniformity in this regard and the further loss caused by corrections and readjustments on this account. The specification will therefore not only be of direct valuable assistance to precision engineering, but will also be of substantial indirect assistance in the production of all commodities which depend upon precision engineering.

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