H—44A

in relation to the requirements of this country. Four emergency standard specifications were revised, while amendments to 4 emergency standard specifications were also adopted. Thirty-five emergency standard specifications were withdrawn during the year, of which 28 were superseded by regular standard specifications, making the total number of existing New Zealand emergency standard specifications 190. Summary.—The year's work has thus reduced the number of emergency standard specifications to 190, and increased the number of regular standard specifications to 468, making a grand total of 658 New Zealand standard specifications at the close ofthe year. Details of the standard specifications adopted, revised, amended, and withdrawn during the year are given in the Appendix hereto. STANDARD MARK

During the year 241 applications for licenses to use the Standard Mark were received from applicants engaged in fourteen different industries. In the same period 232 licenses were issued, making a grant total of 425, particulars of which are set out in Table A hereunder. Ten applications were still under consideration when the year ended.

Table A.—Licenses to use the Standard Mark

The position set out above evidences increasing recognition by traders generally of the advantages attaching to the use of the Standard Mark as a reliable certification that their products conform to established standards of quality, utility, and performance. The preponderance of licenses granted in respect of household furniture is due to the use of the standard specification for household furniture in connection with the expenditure of rehabilitation loans granted to ex-servicemen, and the consequent necessity that

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Licenses Total Number Industry. granted during of Licenses 1945-46. granted. Household furniture .. ,. .. 193 343 Footwear .. .. .. 19 28 School paper stationery 2 11 Leather dress gloves 3 6 Regenerated lubrieating-oil 1 5 Paints .. .. .. .. .... 4 Plywoods .. .. .. I 3 Inks 3 3 Milking-machine rubberware 3 Flashing-cisterns .. .. .. .. .. 1 2 Preservative pre-treatment of timber 2 2 Creosote for the preservation of timber . . 2 2 Salt-glazed ware pipes 2 2 Soaps 2 Flock 2' Precast concrete drainage pipes .. 1 1 Precast concrete pressure pipes .. .. 1 1 Earthenware roofing-tiles 1 1 Lubricating-cup greases 1 Fencing-Avire 1 Electric plugs and sockets and ceiling-roses 1 Fire-extinguishers .. .. 1 Totals 232 425