H.—34.

Electrical Divisional Committee. A valuable contribution has been made to the work of the Standards Institute by this committee, which has met six times and has examined thirty-five draft standard specifications, twenty-six of which it has endorsed as suitable to New Zealand conditions. It has also examined seventeen standard specifications, which have been recommended for adoption as New Zealand standards, as follows :■ — B.S.S. 710/1936 .. Electric study and reading table lamp. B.S.S. 124/1934 . - Totally-enclosed air-break switches for voltages not exceeding 660 volts. B.S.S. 140/1935 Liquid starters and controllers for the rotor circuits of induction electric motors. B.S.S. 271/1926 .. Fixed condensers for radio-reception purposes. B.S.S. 397/1933 .. Leclanche-type primary cells. B.S.S. 714/1936 .. Cartridge-fuses for use in railway-signalling circuits. B.S.S. 719/1936 .. Terms used in railway signalling, glossary of. B.S.S. 162/1934 .. Electric-power switchgear for indoor and outdoor installations up to and including 220,000 volts (including addendum slip dated May, 1936). B.S.S. 74/1937 • • Charging plugs and sockets for electric battery vehicles. B.S.S. 156/1936 .. Enamelled high-conductivity annealed copper wire. B.S.S. 160/1936 .. Slate and marble insulating slabs for electric - power switchgear up to and including 660 volts A.C. and D.C. B.S.S. 560/1934 Engineering symbols and abbreviations, British standard. B.S.S. 555/1935 ... Tungsten filament electric lamps (other than general-service lamps). B.S.S. 488/1933 — Moulded insulating materials suitable for accessories for general electric installations. B.S.S. 446/1932 — Braided cables with copper conductors for overhead transmission lines (addendum June, 1932). B.S.S. 205/1936 ... Terms used in electrical engineering, glossary of. B.S.S. 31/1933 ... Steel conduits and fittings for electrical wiring. A sub-committee has been appointed which has almost completed a draft New Zealand standard specification for two and three fiat-pin electric plugs and sockets, which will be circulated to affected interests within a few weeks. The convenience that will be afforded through the adoption of this uniform equipment is no less desirable than the uniform lamp socket and base adopted in the past. Illumination Committee . The Illumination Committee has held two meetings and is taking full recognition of the Stress that has been placed upon the value of adequate lighting during recent years, which is necessary to prevent eye-strain and the general physical disabilities that this defect often causes. Consequently it is preparing tables of recommended values of illumination for domestic, office, and factory use, having due regard for the special demands upon eyesight entailed by the work carried out under differing conditions. A sub-committee has been carrying out interesting tests in offices, factories, and homes to assist these investigations. Five standard specifications have been examined and recommended for adoption as .New Zealand standards as follows : — B.S.S. 230/1935 .. Portable photometer (visual type). B.S.S. 667/1936 .. Photo-electric type portable photometers. B.S.S. 354/1929 .. Photo-metric integrators. B.S.S. 233/1932 .. Terms used in illumination and photometry, glossary of. B.S.S. 566/1934 .. Internally illuminated yellow diffusing globes for traffic-control signals. Mechanical Engineering Divisional Committee. This committee has also performed most useful work in examining thirty-four draft specifications, of which twenty-three have been endorsed as being suitable for New Zealand conditions. Twelve standard specifications have been recommended for adoption as New Zealand Standards, as follows : — B.S.S. 725/1937 • . Hot-rolled mild steel strip (or hoop) not exceeding 10 in. wide for general engineering purposes. B.S.S. 723/1937 .. Sewage pump tests. B.S.S. 722/1937 .. Borehole and well pump tests. B.S.S. 724/1937 .. Yapourizing liquid pump tests. B.S.S. 674/1936 .. Rubber joint rings for water-mains and sewers. B.S.S. 719/1936 .. Terms used for railway signalling, glossary of. B.S.S. 265/1936 .. Cold rolled brass sheets, strip and foil, copper content 61-5 per cent, minimum and under 64 per cent, maximum. B.S.S. 266/1936 .. Cold rolled brass sheets, strip and foil, copper content 64 per cent, minimum, 67 per cent, maximum. B.S.S. 267/1936 .. Cold rolled brass sheets, strip and foil, copper content within range 68 per cent, minimum and 72 per cent, maximum. B.S.S. 711-713/1936 .. Cold rolled brass sheets, strip and foil, copper content respectively : 711, 80 per cent. ; 712, 85 per cent. ; 713, 90 per cent.

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