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In addition to the circulation of draft and standard specifications received from Empire Standards Organizations, the work of circulating British standard specifications has been commenced, and to date this activity has resulted in the adoption of thirty-three British standard specifications. If this number be added to those adopted prior to the institution of the present organization (ninety-five) the position is that one hundred and twenty-eight New Zealand specifications have been adopted to date. With one exception these are British standard specifications adopted as New Zealand standards, the one exception being New Zealand Standard No. 95, Model Building By-law Sections 1-10, which has bgen developed within the Dominion. This publication is now under revision. Several other original specifications are at present in the course of development, but reference will be made to these in the section reporting on the activities of committees. The work represented in this aspect of the activity outlined in the foregoing, which lias led to the adoption of New Zealand standards, is of value because the use of these — (a) Defines the materials and processes which render production most efficient and economic, including the elimination of the waste that results from the production of inferior goods. (b) Effects savings by concentrating purchases on the most suitable and efficient material. (c) Eliminates superfluous types, sizes, and designs, with consequent economies in production and distribution costs. (d) Eliminates danger hazards through the intelligent selection of material on a basis of competently defined strength and quality of equipment or conditions. (e) Affords convenience through the more efficient facilities provided by specially selected materials and equipment on a basis of the most competent selection. (/) Aids general acquaintance with the use of equipment and processes in certain specialized spheres because of greater uniformity, the advantage of this being particularly expressed in the transfer from unit to unit. (g) Facilitates the ordering of purchases on a basis of national specifications in place of a multitude of individual specifications, the preparation of which is costly, while their use leads to misunderstanding and conflict. It also places trade on a basis that is equitable and intelligible as between suppliers and between the suppliers and purchasers. REPORTS AND PUBLICATIONS OTHER THAN STANDARD OR DRAFT STANDARD SPECIFICATIONS. The standard and draft standard specifications have been supplemented by approximately three hundred reports and publications other than specifications from various sources, mostly from overseas standards organizations. This matter has been recorded and indexed in a manner that makes it readily available as a source of reference to aid the committees i,n their deliberations and also to facilitate a service to Government Departments, local bodies, business, industrial, and other interests. The preparations for expanding this service are well in hand. The specifications and reports which constitute the basis of this service embody the balanced conclusions of the most competent, experienced, and authoritative people in the different spheres who have been engaged on the problems to which the provisions of these publications relate. In other countries of the world investigations that have been carried out incidental to the development of the specifications or the preparation of the reports made available have frequently involved the most extensive investigations —experimentation and research —single instances of which have sometimes cost many thousands of pounds. The advantage of reports and specifications of this nature, which embody the conclusions resulting from such extensive and costly investigation, were available, for instance, to assist the development of the standard specification for galvanized (zinc-coated) fencingwire, so that New Zealand is now enjoying, and will continue to enjoy, the advantages of the findings of overseas committees that have been reached at very substantia] expenditure and effort and are thus made available to this Dominion at a negligible cost. The service is augmented by the fact that the Standards Institute has been appointed the New Zealand agency for the distribution, within the Dominion, of British standard specifications from consignment stock amounting to approximately 4,300 publications supplied by the British Standards Institution. The publications sold since this service was initiated in February of this year number 373. ACTIVITIES OF COMMITTEES. Technical Advisoby Committee. This committee was recently appointed and has not commenced to function actively. It will in future, however, be responsible for directing and reviewing the work of all technical committees in order to ensure that their attention will be concentrated upon projects that satisfy the most important and urgent demands. It will also co-ordinate the work of the respective technical committees and be responsible to the Advisory Council for the fulfilment of its functions. Building Code Committee. This committee has held two meetings and has appointed a sub-committee, which has held fifteen meetings. It is engaged in revising New Zealand Standard No. 95, Model Building By-law, Sections 1-10, governing earthquake-resisting construction for steel-frame reinforced-concrete buildings and for buildings of bearing-wall construction. The revision of sections 1-3 of this by-law has been completed.

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