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WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ACT The regulations under the Act provide for the reverificatiou of weights, measures, and weighing and measuring instruments in use for trade purposes. The articles verified or reverilied during the year arc summarized hereunder: — Submitted. Incorrect. Weights 30,959 5,260 Measures .. .. • • • ■ .. 2,768 71 Wcighing-fristruments .. .. 22,004 2,317 Measuring-instruments .. .. •• •• 2,351 339 There were also submitted for verification 964,992 bottles—milk, cream, or oil —10,831 being rejected. In addition to the reverification work referred to, the Department has carried out surprise tests of appliances on the owners' premises, the net-weight and standard-weight provisions of the regulations also receiving attention. Each shop inspection included an examination to ascertain that requirements as to reverification have been satisfied, and, in addition, surprise tests of appliances on the owners' premises were madeInspections were also made covering the regulation requirements as to net-weight and standard-weight of packages, and the sale of firewood, coke, and coal, also the provisions relating to the weight of bread including those contained in the Sale of Food and Drugs Act, 1908. Complaints were received respecting 78 alleged breaches of the Act. As a result of the investigation of these and of the check inspections referred to above, 24 prosecutions were instituted, fines amounting to £48 10s. being imposed. Fifteen machines presenting novel features were submitted for approval during the year. Of this number 2 were approved, 3 were rejected, and 10 are under review. In some cases modification of design was found necessary. Details are :— Approved—■ A pattern of an automatic packing and weighing machine designed for the rapid weighing and despatching of cement in bags of customary size, styled the " Rotary Fluxo Packer." Makers, F. L. Smidth, Ltd., England. Approved after a slight modification. A counter platform scale of 2 cwt. capacity. Makers, Messrs. F. J. Thornton and Co., England. Approved after extensive alteration. Rejected— A liquid measure of a capacity not permitted by the Weights and Measures Act. An automatic filling-machine designed to measure by volume dry materials and freerunning substances packed into containers and eventually sold by weight. An automatic filling-machine designed to fill bottles with liquids of low viscosity irrespective of capacity, but with no adjusting mechanism to enable predetermined standard measure quantities to be delivered. Under review - Self-indicating counter scale of 2 lb. capacity. Self-indicating dial platform scale of 300 lb. capacity. Self-indicating dial milk-tank weigher of 3,000 lb. capacity. Self-indicating dial overhead track weigher of 1,000 lb. capacity. Self-indicating dial crane weigher of 1,000 lb. capacity. Three automatic packing and weighing machines. Liquid flow-meter for large bulk deliveries. Length-measuring instrument for the measurement of bolts of various woollen materials. OCCUPATIONAL RE-ESTABLISHMENT The underlying intention of the Occupational Re-establishment Emergency Regulations 1940 is that the employer of a worker who goes on military service is under an obligation to find that worker employment on his return from service. It is not a question of reinstatement in the identical position held at the time of mobilization, but of reinstatement in an occupation and under conditions not less favourable to the worker than those which would have been applicable to him had his employment been continuous. If by reason of injury the worker is not able to perform the work on which he was engaged at the time of'mobilization, the employer is still under necessity to give suitable employment, and his responsibility is discharged only if he can bring himself within the provisions of regulation 7 by showing that by reason of changed circumstances it is not reasonably practicable to reinstate the worker or that his reinstatement in an occupation and under conditions not less favourable to hirn than those which would have been applicable to him had he not rendered military service is impracticable and that the employer has offered to reinstate him in the most favourable occupation and under the most favourable conditions reasonably practicable. There was a considerable reduction on the previous year in the number of alleged infringements for attention. This, no doubt, was due to the changed military policy in respect of Territorial service following the Pacific crisis. Presumably the further amendment of policy will be reflected in the 1943-44 record of alleged infringements. Only 32 cases of alleged refusal to reinstate discharged men were dealt with in 1942-43, a prosecution being commenced in one instance. For the purposes of these regulations the term " employer," in relation to a serving employee, ncludes every person for the time being carrying on the undertaking in which the serving employee was employed immediately before the commencement of his military service or carrying on any undertaking with which that undertaking has at any time since the commencement of the serving employee's military service been amalgamated or in which that undertaking was immediately before the commencement of the serving employee's military service comprised, and the term " military service " means continuous whole-time service as a member of any of His Majesty's naval, military, or Air Forces, whether in New Zealand or elsewhere, and whether such forces be raised in New Zealand or by the Government of any territory forming part of His Majesty's dominions, or continuous whole-time service as a radio operator in a ship to which the Shipping and Seamen Act Wireless Regulations 1925 apply (including any period of training for service as such an operator) where the service as operator or trainee

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