H—44A

14 U.S. Federal specifications for consumer commodities, and directed the circulation of these to the interested parties for review and comment. The Council also considered reports of the various committees working, under its direction, including those dealing with footwear, textiles, foodstuffs, and furniture, as referred to below. Tinned and Galvanized Utensils.—The committee responsible for the development •of this project has almost completed a standard specification which establishes requirements relating to the gauge of metal, the capacity and construction, including the methods of jointing, seaming, lugging, wiring, and reinforcing, to be used according to the nature of the. utensil. The specification includes provisions for all household tinware such as bake-dishes, cake-tins, kettles, and the like used for domestic purposes. It also includes provisions relating to galvanized utensils such as buckets, dippers, and similar general-purpose- vessels. Paua-shell Jewellery and Ornaments. —Following upon representations from the Disabled Servicemen's Re-establishment League and the Rehabilitation Department, supported by the Returned Services' Association, a committee was instituted during the year to undertake the development of a standard specification for paua-shell jewellery and ornaments, with the object of protecting the interests of disabled returned servicemen who were undergoing training in this craft as a means of rehabilitation and gaining their future livelihood. It was represented by the organizations concerned that the manufacture and sale of paua-shell jewellery and ornaments made from inferior material, and faultily fabricated, would, react against the establishment of this industry, which otherwise held good prospect of gaining and preserving a sound local market, in addition to an export trade if a standard of quality of such wares were soundly maintained. In view of the importance of this consideration to the rehabilitation and future economic security of disabled servicemen, the project was undertaken and a standard specification completed and issued during the year. It establishes requirements relating to the quality of the paua-shell to be used, its mounting and setting, workmanship, and finish. Footwear Sectional Committee (Two meetings) Footwear Panel .. .. .. .. .. .. One meeting. Nurses' Footwear Committee .. .. .. .. Two meetings. Conference of Lasts Committee and Infants' Footwear Committee One meeting. Parent Committee.—ln addition to considering the reports of the committees working under its direction, the parent committee revised the emergency standard specifications for footwear in the light of comments received as a result of their initial application, and recommended that the revised specifications should be issued as regular standard specifications. In the course of the revision, provision was made for the use of outsoles manufactured from wax chrome bend leather, and from approved rubber. Further minor amendments were made to bring the specifications into fuller accord with established trade practice, while at the same time maintaining adequate standards of quality and utility. After full consideration, it was decided to withdraw the .standard specification for men's split and kip working boots, a class of footwear which the committee considered should not be permitted to bear the Standard Mark. Nurses' Footwear. —The Nurses' Footwear Committee completed a standard specification for nurses' shoes manufactured by the cemented, veldtschoen, and pre-welt processes, with uppers of chrome tanned leather or canvas. The formulation of this specification was carried out with commendable thoroughness. The committee had sample shoes manufactured to the requirements of the draft specification and submitted to the four main training centres for nurses, in order to ensure that footwear manufactured to the requirements of the specification would be of the most suitable type for the purpose for which it was intended. In this way the consensus of knowledge and experience of both the manufacturers and distributors, and the nurses as users of the shoes, was obtained.

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