ELECTRIC CABLES

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 32, 6 August 1936, Page 15

ELECTRIC CABLES

SETTING A STANDARD

SAFEGUARDING QUALITY

The activities and objects of the Cable Makers' Association of Great Britain were outlined by Mr. S. G. Anderson, the association's' representative, at the presentation of the C.M.A. medal to Mr. j.'-;H; Hartnett yesterday afternoon. ■-.- \.'-.'.: ■'■ ■■.'■'■:

"The association,:,-.; probably the strongest of its kind in any industry, and which, today sets the standard in cable, manufacture, was founded in the year 1900 with the initial object of the standardisation of quality in rubber insulated cables and wires, and to defeat the tendency to cut price at the expense 6f quality," said Mr. Anderson. '. 'V ' ..-'. ;

"Following the association's activities in this direction and in the standardisation of sizes and description of cables a .system of labeling common to . all members was adopted incorporating the now world-famous trade-mark CM.A., and-registered design of thb Roman .Warrior, which ,are the property of the association. The Roman Warrior was a symbol of perfection in the days of the Roman Empire, arid 'no; more fitting design could have been chosen for the leaders of the electrical cable, industry to have before them, in their fight to secure their ideals. ; ' ■ ELECTRICAL RESEARCH. "During the war the Cable Makers' Association was entrusted by the Government, of the day with the distribution of ail cdpper rationed' for cable -Vinafcihg. •In 1929 the C.M.A. co-6per- ;: irted with the institution'of Electrical ■ JSngineers and the British Electrical i;flhd Allied Manufacturers' Association, •f more commonly known as Beama,, to ."found the Electrical Research Association. The Electrical Research Association, functioning with the support of the Government' Department of /Scientific and Industrial Research,. has ;:been exceedingly,'successful, and!: Us activities have covered a very wide ."•■jaeld." . \ ' ;■-■ . .;.'.. ''Mr. This field covered insulating ma-. 'rterials of _al kinds, electrical control '.Synthetic telephone interference, and 101 problems which .confronted the. '.electrical industry. In -rvalue.*itvwas- estimated that .); the work of the Electrical Research As- ■ : had effected economies and ;" conferred benefits, on the electrical in-. v dustry in} all its branches, running j into millions of. pounds. ' J t "One ease in point is the research ■/...on the'"ne'ating of underground cable, i, by which engineers are now able to ?; calculate exactly the current which ? may,be carried by all classes of cables . under all conditions arising in prao- ;. tice," said Mr. Anderson. "The Cable \) Makers' Association is justly proud of '.; its share in founding and.carrying on- /; this' work. '■> -: ' ' : ' • ■-■' ;• "In addition to being responsible '■ lor the activities' outlined above, thp - C.M.A. has co-operated to secure thje ■■.. lowjßsj; possible price^for >t cables, con- ■'?' sisteriiijwith !tfie quality nwessary ?for "? thefsafety.iofrithe general?public, -and has;'atirth^ same time interestetd itself Ji to see taat its worl?rneriaijd operatives' I have secured a high standard of liv- .? ing 4 thfpujghqut the whole of the asf ;-; sociatidn!»*existence. ~>-v '~ ;f..'' :!

"Turning again to New Zealand, the f representatives of the Cable Makers' !i Association have co-operated with the ■ Public Works Department and New' Zealand Electrical Traders' Federation J^ to assist _m ,the pompilation of t the Electrical Supply and Wiring Regula- " tions,'l93s, where cables are concerned, and have done their utmost to further i the safeguarding of the public by pro-1 moting the objects of the parent association; 1 NEW ZEALAND FOBTUNATE. . "Broadly speaking, the electric cable performs a similar function to a water ' pipe, except that with the latter, if the water leaks, you can see it, and beyond ' its being' wet, it can be readily dealt

with; when electricity-leaks: from1/ja

cable, howevei, it is quite a different matter, and- foi* this reason it is; esseh- ' tial in the interests "of the public .that , the cables which lie hidden; and have become almost forgotten' through com--1 mqn usage, should; be of the" very

highest quality obtainable. It -would, ■ however, be useless' "to" haye high- , quality material *nd pobr' : quality' worH-: manship. The New-Zealand; Goverri- ' ment, realising this, has- always jnsisteii.

on a very high standard of electrical wiring, and has ensurpd this high

standard by: making the registration of. wiremeri compulsory so that New.Zealand is fortunate in this respect and has a standard of workmanship which.

1 think, is second to none. / ■ "Nevertheless, the spirit of competi- > tion.is always. necessary if such high standards are to be maintained and still further improved, and it is with this object in view that the N.Z.C'M.A.

suggested and obtained the consent of

the C.M.A. to the awarding of medals v to those students who secure, the highest mark? in the electrical wiremen's examinationsi" ~-,i■',. ..,.■.■.. ■'i ■