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each varying in relation to the factors referred to above. This would greatly increase the cost and make it virtually impossible to maintain stocks from which orders could be readily supplied. The standard specification will have the further advantage of providing farmers with an adequate and suitable specification to which they can work when making their own concrete posts. The specification will, of course, be of equal value and advantage to Government Departments, local authorities, property-owners, and to all people who have occasion to use this type of post for fencing purposes. Septic Tanks. —Further progress has been made with the formulation of a standard specification for septic tanks for ordinary domestic use. Roadmaking Materials Sectional Committee (One meeting) In view of the increasing number of standard specifications received from overseas relating to roadmaking materials and methods, and the need for preparing similar standard specifications in New Zealand, a special sectional committee has been set up to undertake this work. At its inaugural meeting the committee considered 24 British standards, 1 draft British standard, 3 Australian standards, and 8 American standards, and set up four committees to examine these in relaton to New Zealand's requirements in collaboration with the affected interests. The four committees will deal respectively with road-construction methods, road-binding materials, road aggregates, and the testing of road materials. In addition to examining specifications received from overseas, they will undertake the formulation of any original New Zealand standard specifications which may be found to be necessary. The importance of this work is readily apparent when it is realized that the standard specifications adopted will establish standards of quality for materials, and methods which will ensure that road construction will be carried out in a way that will avoid unnecessary expenditure on maintenance and renewal. Mechanical Sectional Committee (One meeting) Motor-vehicle Servicing Committee .. .. .. .. One meeting. Fire-extinguishers Committee .. .. . . . . One meeting. Fusion-welded Steel Tanks Conference .. .. .. Two meetings. Parent Committee. —The parent committee reviewed the work being carried out under its control, and examined and directed 12 British standards, 4 draft British standards, 1 draft Australian standard, 27 American, standards, 4 Indian standards, and 2 Canadian standards. Of the British standards considered, 3 were recommended for adoption as regular New Zealand standard specifications, and 5 for adoption as New Zealand emergency standard specifications. ' Servicing of Motor-vehicles.—Following upon representations from the New Zealand Retail Motor Trades' Association, with the support of the Price Tribunal, a representative committee undertook the development of, and completed, a standard specification which stipulates and defines the various operations to be carried out in connection with the servicing of motor-vehicles. The clear definition of the operations which such servicing properly involves will be of considerable advantage both to service stations and garages and to owners of motor-vehicles, since it will eliminate differing practices and misunderstandings which have been the cause of considerable conflict. The value of the standard specification is soundly evidenced by the fact that some 2,000 copies were sold within a month of its publication. Bucket-pump Fire-extinguishers.—The revision of the standard specification for bucket-pumps to provide for a size, in addition to the 4-gallon size, was completed by the Fire-extinguishers Committee. Arising out of wartime experience, bucket-pumps have come into more general use as first-aid fire-fighting equipment;, and provision for this smaller unit was necessary because the larger and heavier one was often too cumbersome, particularly for women.

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