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Dairy Machinery and Requisites Committee. The projects under consideration by this committee are as follows : — Milk and cream cans : Milk and cream coolers : Milk-weighers : Sterilizer steam temperature : Dairy refrigerating machinery : Dairy Products Analysis Sub-committee (Two meetings). The Dairy Products Analysis Sub-committee was formed primarily to give consideration to the bacteriological and chemical analysis of dairy products. It is working in close collaboration with the corresponding committees of the British Standards Institution, and is thus carrying out, in this Dominion, the counterpart of the work being undertaken in the United Kingdom. The sub-committee is embarking on an extensive programme of work, and has already examined three British and one South African draft standard specifications, in addition to nine British Standard specifications, recommending one draft standard and the following four standard specifications for adoption as New Zealand Standard specifications : — B.S.S. 700-1937 Graduated and Straight Pipettes. 734-1937 Density Hydrometers for Use in Milk. 684-1936 Methods of Analysis of Fats. 733-1937 Density Bottles. It has also under consideration the formulation of provisions for standard specifications for* methylene blue, phenolphthalein solution, acid and alkali solutions, and rennet. The preparation and adoption of these standards, it is considered, will do much to eliminate irregularities frequently encountered in the strength of the solutions and in the method of acid determination at different factories. . . . . .. In the control of the manufacture of cheese and butter, standard acid, alkali, and indicator solutions are, therefore, of considerable importance in that they will materially assist to maintain the uniformly high quality of our dairy products, upon which the maintenance of our market substantially depends. Consideration is also being given to the standardization of methods for casein analysis, in order to provide a satisfactory specification for the quality of the commercial article as a guide to manufacturers. Specifications for salt for dairying purposes, bandage cloth for cheese, and methods for sampling, and of bacteriological analysis of butter and other dairy products are also under review. Further evidence of the value of the work undertaken by this sub-committee is in the consideration it has oiven to BS S 755-1937—Apparatus and Methods for the Determination of the Percentage of Fat in Milk and Milk Products by the Babcock Method ; and B.S.S. 696-1936—Standard Apparatus and Methods for the Determination of the Percentage of Fat in Milk and Milk Products by the Gerber Method. The Babcock tests for milk and cream are the basis of all purchases of milk or eream for manufacturing purposes in New Zealand, and the Gerber test is widely used by herd-testing organizations. It is therefore of great importance that the apparatus and procedure in these tests should be accurately standardized. The committee, in making the examination of these specifications, has recommended alterations and amendments that render them applicable to New Zealand conditions. Hides Committee (Two Meetings). A Hides Committee was appointed to consider the question of formulating standard specifications for the treatment, grading, and classification of hides, yearlings and calf-skins. After two meetings draft provisions had been finalized and circulated to affected interests for comment, which were subsequently considered by the committee, suitable amendments made, and the specification issued as a New Zealand standard. This establishes uniform grades as a basis for trade that will have a common meaning to buyers and sellers within the Dominion and overseas. The net result should be to establish a degree of orderly marketing, stable and sound trade, which will be equally advantageous to distributors, purchasers, and users. Wool-packs Committee (Two Meetings). Weight and Weave Sub-committee .. .. . ■ .. 1 meeting. Size Sub-committee .. .. • • • • ■■ l meeting. Careful consideration was given by this committee to the standardization and simplification of woolpacks. It was hoped to formulate provisions providing for the tensile strength, weave, weightincluding tare allowance—resistance to water and dirt, in addition to size. It was not found possible, in the meantime, however, to secure agreement any further than a recommendation for the adoption of a simplification of sizes providing for the use of the 42 in. pack with the loose tops for general purposes, not excluding, of course, the use of the 48 in. and 54 in. packs for special purposes.

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