UNIFORM WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1126, 13 May 1911, Page 5

UNIFORM WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.

By Teleeraph-Fress Association-Oopj-riebt Adelaide, May 12. The Chambers of Commerce Conference decided to approach tho Federal Government with a view to recommending the Imperial Government to appoint a Royal Commission to investigate, and, if possible, recommend, the adoption of a uniform systom of weights and measures and currency in the British Empiro.

IMPERIAL COMMUNICATIONS. .(Kce. May 12, 7.35 p.m.) Adelaide, May 12. Tho Chambers of Commerce Conference has adopted a resolution in favour of opening negotiations for trado reciprocity with New Zealand, Canada, and South Africa. The continuation of the Vancouver mail service was urged with Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne as ports of call. The conference also resolved in favour of- the establishment, of a complete system of wireless communication particularly along the coast; tho joint acquisition and control by the Commonwealth, Canadian, and British Governments of a eablo across the Atlantic from Canada to Great Britain; tho dissemination of information with a view to opening up new markets for Australian products, and a vigorous State-aided immigration policy. The. compulsory adoption throughout tho British Empire of the Metric Weights and Moasures is advocated by tho Decimal Association. At present the use of the metric system is legalised for all purposes. A Weights and Measures (Metric System) Bill was passed by the House of Lords, May 17, 190 i, and a. similar Bill was rejected by the House of Commons in March 1907 by the narrow majority of 32 votes. In August, 1910, the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia.passed a resolution by 35 votes to 2 pledging the Commonwealth to urge at the Imperial Conference the adoption of the metric system and of a decimal system of coinage throughout the Empire, and, failing tho favourable consideration of the Imperial Government of this request, to promote legislation themselves without further reference to the Mother Country. The British Weights and Measures Association was established in. 1904 for the purpose of opposing the introducI tion of th? Metro or any of its derivatives into tho British Empire, and for so adjusting and simplifying British Imperial weights and measures as to obtain all the advantages the metric system gives and some others not given by it.