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100,000,000 yards of material each year. An indication of the economies that have been gained by the adoption of similar 1 measures in England is reported in the English trade journal, Tailor and Cutter and Women's Wear, of the 13th March, 1942, which reported that the simplification of suits would save 100,000 yards of material each week. It also stated that in the Leeds clothing trade the projected utility (simplified) suits would enable an additional 30,000 suits to be manufactured from the material normally required to produce 400,000 suits. Clothing.—ln New Zealand reliable reports from competent large-scale manufacturers indicate that the simplification of men's suits will save approximately 5 per cent, of the material normally used. On this basis it is estimated that the simplification will enable some 30,000 additional suits to be produced each year. Since the saving of material which the simplification of women's clothing would effect would almost certainly double that which would apply in the case of men's wear, the overall gain throughout the clothing industry should represent a very considerable economy and should therefore make a substantial contribution towards maintaining essential clothing-supplies, Glass Containers. —The simplification of glass containers is a further example of the extensive economies gained from the application of this principle. Responsible trade interests estimate that the specification of the Simplified Practice for Glass Containers reduces the number of types and sizes from over 500 to some 250, or by approximately 50 per cent. The advantages of this project are greatly increased by the fact that the lines eliminated are those which make excessive demands on raw materials, plant capacity, labour, packing, and transport, amounting in many cases to double that which would be required for the manufacture of the more economic containers which the specification retains. The general advantages illustrated by the two examples cited above, with differing interpretation, are derived also from the other eleven specifications- for simplified practices. The significance of this aspect of the activity of the Standards organization during the year is perhaps brought into its proper perspective in relation to the needs of the war effort by the following brief quotations from the statements of eminent overseas authorities: — President Franklin I). Roosevelt — " It is the responsibility of the Government to plan for more production of essential civilian goods and less of non-essential goods. Production and distribution of goods should be simplified and standardized; unnecessary costs and frills should be eliminated." Howard Coonley, Director, Conservation Division, W.P.8.; former President of National Association of Manufacturers of the United States of America— " The simplification to be carried out in 1943 will save thousands of carloads of valuable transportation space, millions of feet of factory warehouse space, will add to our stockpiles of raw materials, by reducing inventory requirements some 25 per cent., and will augment the productive capacity of our machines by 10 to 20 per cent, " A nation-wide simplification and standardization programme is not only our best tool for increasing war production, but also is the best answer that the War Production Board can give to the business man's prayer for easier ways of doing business under wartime restrictions, Simplification intelligently ordered can forestall shortages in consumer's goods and often make rationing unnecessary. It is the best single way of upholding our standard of living in wartime." James F. Byrnes, Economic Stabilization Director, United States of America— " I have asked the chairman of the War Production Board to undertake a vigorous programme of simplification and standardization' of production and distribution not merely to eliminate frills and wasteful practices, but, wherever necessary and advantageous, to concentrate on the production of relatively few type of goods of standardized quality, design, and price. " Effectively carried through, such a programme can combat the rising costs that threaten ceilings, maintain at maximum the output of civilian goods that is possible, and bring the prices of some essentials down. "Such a programme, too, would yield considerable savings in man-power, materials, machine capacity, transportation, fuel, and other acute war needs." Arch Shaw, Director, Conservation Division, W. 1.8., 1918— " In winning this war) through simplifying our industries we shall enter the peace with a production and distribution system geared, to the very highest point of efficiency for whatever competition we may face. Our present necessity may well prove to be our future security." Standardization and Stabilization During the year increased attention has been given to the development of standardization as an integral part of stabilization. This aspect of standards activity falls under the following headings: — Production. -Without the most economic use of materials, plant capacity, and manpower which standardization achieves, production cannot be maintained at that high level necessary to secure maximum essential supplies. Not. only is the application of this principle the most potent means of increasing output, but it is the only agency that, can be used to ensure the production, of goods of optimum service value. In this connection the Economist of January, 1943, reports that British authorities have, " in consultation with manufacturers, endeavoured to embody in a series of specifications the best trade practices at each level, while also eliminating all uses of material and labour winch do not measurably add to the utility of the product."

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