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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1975
ANOTHER STEP TOWARDS METRICATION
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THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TODAY TOOK A FURTHER STEP TOWARDS METRICATION WITH AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT FROM JANUARY 1 THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE OFFICE WILL ACCEPT BUILDING PLANS IN METRIC UNITS.
THE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT BUILDING SURVEYOR, MR. EDWARD KENNARD, SAID: +FROM THE BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR WE WILL ACCEPT PLANS IN EITHER METRIC OR IMPERIAL UNITS. THE NEXT STEP AFTER THAT WILL BE TO MAKE METRIC APPLICATIONS COMPULSORY, AND IT IS HOPED THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN ON JANUARY 1, 1977 DEPENDENT ON THE ENACTMENT OF SUITABLE LEGISLATION.+
MR. KENNARD WENT ON TO SAY THAT TO HELP APPLICANTS PREPARE METRIC PLANS, A SPECIAL SCHEDULE HAD BEEN PREPARED SHOWING EXACT METRIC EQUIVALENTS FOR ALL THE IMPERIAL MEASUREMENTS CONTAINED IN THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE AND REGULATIONS. ·
COPIES OF THE SCHEDULE WERE NOW BEING DISTRIBUTED TO ALL PERSONS AUTHORISED UNDER THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE TO SUBMIT PLANS FOR APPROVAL (KNOWN AS AUTHORISED PERSONS).
MR. KENNARD SAID THE EXACT CONVERSIONS IN THE SCHEDULE COULD BE +ROUNDED OFF+ TO SUIT INDIVIDUAL PLANS. PROVIDED THE PLANS REMAINED WITHIN THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE.
+THE ISSUING OF THE SCHEDULE IS AN INTERIM MEASURE UNTIL SUCH TIME AS NEW LEGISLATION CAN BE ENACTED TO REPLACE THE IMPERIAL VALUES IN THE ORDINANCE BY SPECIFIC METRIC VALUES,+ MR. KENNARD SAID.
HE URGED ALL AUTHORISED PERSONS AND REGISTERED STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS WHO WERE NOT ALREADY DOING SO TO TAKE IMMEDIATE STEPS TO TRAIN THEIR STAFF TO WORK IN THE METRIC SYSTEM.
+SEVERAL MAJOR FIRMS IN THIS FIELD HAVE ALREADY GONE METRIC,+ HE SAID, +BUT WE SUSPECT THERE ARE MANY OTHERS WHO HAVE NOT YET STARTED TO TAKE CONSTRUCTIVE STEPS TOWARDS CHANGING OVER WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THE PURCHASE OF METRIC EQUIPMENT AND INSTRUCTING STAFF ON THE APPLICATION OF THESE NEW UNITS.
+THESE FIRMS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THE ALTERNATIVE SYSTEM OF METRIC OR IMPERIAL APPLICATIONS BEING INTRODUCED ON JANUARY 1 IS ONLY TO APPLY FOR A TRANSITIONAL PERIOD LEADING TO COMPULSORY METRICATION, AND GIVES THEM THEIR FINAL OPPORTUNITY TO ADAPT THEMSELVES TO METRICATION.
/+ALTHOUGH THE .....
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