H.—34A

respective countries from which the various draft specifications have originated. This method of considering whether the draft specifications of the Empire standards organizations are suitable for adoption as New Zealand standards, after consultation with all affected interests, clearly provides for the ultimate adoption of standards to satisfy the needs of New Zealand conditions and requirements. The fact that a committee representative of competent experts from Government Departments, local bodies, professional, technological and trade organizations, makes a critical examination of the draft specification upon the basis of comment received, in response to its circulation, enables a co-ordinated comment representative of New Zealand interests to be forwarded to the originating body, and thus enables material or equipment for one and the same purpose to be ordered to a national specification. The cost and trouble to each party preparing specifications are consequently avoided. Considerations affecting safe and efficient installation and operation of plant, uniform practice, and minimum diversification of dimensions and types, all of which simplify and reduce stores and stocks for manufacturers and distributors and which result in a corresponding reduction of costs, are thus provided for, to the satisfaction of all concerned. Specifications and Publications received. During the year, 1,437 draft and standard specifications and general publications were received from the overseas standards bodies as shown hereunder : —

The 127 draft and standard specifications received from the British Standards Institution and the 63 draft and standard specifications received from the Standards Association of Australia have been circulated to approximately 1,900 affected interests for comment, on the basis of which the following conclusions have been reached in regard to these publications : — British Standards Institution. — Draft Standard Specifications. (a) Recommended for adoption as New Zealand standard specifications without any amendment . . . . . . . ■ • • • • .. 14 (b) Recommended for adoption as New Zealand standard specifications subject to amendment .. .. . • • ■ • • • • .. 4 (c) Considered not applicable to New Zealand .. .. . . .. 6 (d) Considered to be unsuitable to New Zealand, but an alternative specification is required .. .. • • • • • ■ • • .... (e) Held in abeyance pending further information . . . . .. .. 8 (/) Held in abeyance pending the issue of standard specifications .. .. 6 (g) No recommendation made .. . . .. . . .. .. 2 (h) In circulation .. . . • • • • ■ • • • .. 26 Total 66 It will be noted that of the twenty-four British draft standard specifications, consideration of which has been finalized, eighteen are suitable for New Zealand conditions. This means that the volume of investigation and research that has been carried out, and the benefit of the consultation and collaboration of the most competent experts which these specifications embody, is made available to this Dominion in return for the maintenance of the necessary machinery to secure adequate consideration of these publications at this end. Of the sixty-one new and revised standard specifications received from the British Standards Institution, nine have been recommended for adoption as New Zealand standards, while an examination of the others is in progress. An examination is also being made by progressive stages of the 600 standard specifications issued by the British Standards Institution before the work was commenced here. This will result in the counterpart of the work being carried out by the British committees being completed here within practical limits. None of the Australian standards has been adopted in toto as a New Zealand standard, neither have any of the drafts been recommended for adoption, although New Zealand and Australia have each adopted thirty-two common British standard specifications and consequently, to this extent, the two countries are working to common specifications.

*I—H. 34a.

3

Number of Number of . Draft Standard T , , Name of Organization. Specifications Specifications lotal - received. received. British Standards Institution .. .. . • 66 61 127 Standards Association of Australia .. .. .. 27 36 63 Canadian Engineering Standards Association .. .. . . 2 South African Standards Institution . . .. .. 1 • • 1 American Standards Association .. .. .. ■ ■ 142 142 American Society for Testing Materials .. •■ •■ 815 815 Bureau of Standards, United States of America . . .. .. 272 272 Department of Commerce, United States of America . . . . 15 15 Total specifications received . . .. .. .. • • 1,437 Other major publications received