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The Weights and Measures Act, 1925, has been amended by the Scientific and Industrial Research Amendment Act, 1945, under the provisions of which the Minister in Charge of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research is empowered to procure or provide such principal standard measures and such copies thereof as may be required for any New Zealand standards of measurements. He is also to have the custody of the principal standard measure for every New Zealand standard of measurement, whether procured before or after the passing of the Act. Prior to the passing of this Act there had been no New Zealand primary pound and yard, and for verification purposes it had been necessary to have reference to weights and measures of similar denominations deposited with the Imperial Board of Trade. BUSH WORKERS ACT, 1945 This Act came into force on the Ist January, 1946. In the Act, " bush undertaking " is defined as any undertaking in which one or more bush workers are employed, and " bush worker " is defined as any person engaged in felling and logging operations or in any operations incidental thereto, including the construction or maintenance of private roads, tramways, or bridges, the shifting of any plant, and the transportation of logs otherwise than on a public road or street. " Plant " is defined as any machinery or any hauling, lifting, or carrying apparatus that may be used by bush workers, including any bridge, tramway, rolling-stock, or chute, or any appliance used in or in connection with a bush undertaking. It does not, however, include any boiler or machinery subject to the provisions of the Inspection of Machinery Act, 1928. Employers of bush workers are to keep a wages and time book, also a register in which is to be entered particulars of every accident which causes death or serious bodily injury—that is, an injury which is likely to incapacitate the sufferer from work for at least forty-eight hours. Notice of the accident is to be sent to an Inspector. It is required that plant for use in bush undertakings is to be soundly constructed of good material and free from any patent defect. Such plant is to be under the general supervision of some responsible person, who is to make periodical inspections of the plant for the purpose of ensuring that the provisions of the Act are complied with in respect thereof. Plant is not to be used in a manner likely to cause danger to life, and safeguards with which the plant is equipped are not to be removed or damaged. An Inspector may give directions with a view to preventing accidents or to ensurecompliance with the provisions of the Act, and every person to whom the directions are given must carry out such directions. If the Inspector considers that the use of any plant might endanger the life of any person or that any plant is unsuitable for use he may condemn that plant and direct that it cease to be used, or brand that plant and cause it to be rendered incapable of being used ; but no plant is so to be rendered incapable until the employer has had an opportunity of applying to a Magistrate for relief from the condemnation of the plant or any direction given by the Inspector. Such an application must be made within seven days after the employer receives notice of the condemnation or direction from the Inspector, and on the hearing of the application the Magistrate may make such order as he thinks fit, and such order shall be final and binding on all parties. Pending the hearing of any application to a Magistrate, the employer must nevertheless comply with any direction which has been given him by the Inspector. Other sections provide (1) for bush workers to report to the employer or to the person in charge of the undertaking or to the person who has the plant under his general supervision any defect in the plant which such worker may discover; (2) for every employer to provide and maintain first-aid appliances ; (3) for powers of entry, &c, Part VIII of the Public Works Act, 1928, which relates to the regulation and. inspection of railways and tramways, is not affected by the Act.

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