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furniture purchased with such loans should bear the Standard Mark. This procedure, by assisting ex-servicemen to obtain furniture which conforms to a standard of quality with the loans advanced to them, has also assisted to ensure effective expenditure of public moneys applied to this purpose. Apart, however, from these circumstances, the number of licenses issued during the initial two years indicates, on the part of both business and consumer interests, a growing appreciation of the purpose of the Standard Mark as the only satisfactory, final means of certifying and comparing the quality of commodities. The growing use of the Standard Mark, together with the more frequent requests for the standardization of various commodities and the 50 per cent, increase in the sales of standard specifications compared with the previous year, as shown on page 26, evidences sound progress in the development of standardization in the Dominion. To bring the importance of this development into proper perspective it is necessary to draw attention to the increased production of commodities of optimum quality and utility and the reduction in unit production costs which experience has shown to result from standardization. Upon this consideration of maximum production at least cost substantially depends the sound development, and efficient and economic operation, of our industrial and service activities in successful competition with other countries, and the consequent maintenance of profitable employment at a high level. The application of the principle of standardization to the measurement of quality has also the same fundamental significance as the application of this principle to the measurement of quantity, since it provides the only contant means for determining and comparing quality, and for interpreting value on the basis of the three factors, quantity, quality, and price. EMERGENCY DIVISIONAL COUNCIL (One meeting) The Emergency Divisional Council has continued to review all emergency specifications received from overseas and to direct these to various committees for examination, consideration, and report. It has also examined reports on all projects being developed under the emergency standards procedure and has endorsed the recommendations of the committees concerned, including recommendations for the adoption of emergency standard specifications, subject to its further direction when considered desirable. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (Three meetings) The Executive Committee of the Standards Council has considered all requests for the development of standard specifications and reviewed all standard specifications received from overseas, directing the necessary action in connection therewith. It has also examined the reports of all meetings held during the year and has endorsed the recommendations contained in these reports concerning the adoption of standard specifications and related matters, subject to further direction as found necessary. TECHNOLOGICAL STANDARDIZATION Civil Engineering Sectional Committee Cement and Concrete Committee .. .. .. .. One meeting. Septic Tanks Conference .. .. .. .. .. One meeting. Concrete Fencing-posts.—At the request of the Farmers' Union, a committee has been instituted to undertake the formulation of a standard specification for concrete fencing-posts. As these posts are precast, it is necessary to establish requirements acceptable to all affected interests, relating to the overall dimensions, including length, the amount and type of reinforcement, and the concrete mix. The only alternative is the uneconomic practice of making posts to a multiplicity of individual specifications,

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