XN000022-1991-05-24 — Page 15

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DR GARSIDE SAID THIS WAS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN THE TRADING OF GOODS BETWEEN NEW ZEALAND AND HONG KONG.

"GOODS WHICH ARE SUPPORTED BY TEST DOCUMENTS ISSUED BY A HOKLAS ACCREDITED LABORATORY SHOULD NOT REQUIRE ANY RETESTING TO CONFIRM THEIR CONFORMANCE TO PARTICULAR REQUIREMENTS, AND VICE VERSA.

"THIS WILL MAKE THE TRADING OF GOODS MORE ECONOMIC AND IS CONSISTENT WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE GATT STANDARDS CODE, HE SAID.

HOKLAS AND TELARC ARE TWO LABORATORY ACCREDITATION SCHEMES WITH THE MAIN PURPOSE OF GRANTING FORMAL RECOGNITION то TESTING AND CALIBRATION LABORATORIES WHICH ARE FOUND COMPETENT TO CARRY OUT SPECIFIC TESTS OR CALIBRATIONS, OR TYPES OF TESTS OR CALIBRATIONS.

HOKLAS WAS FORMALLY ESTABLISHED IN MAY 1985 AND AT PRESENT HOKLAS IS GIVING PRIORITY TO ACCREDITATION UNDER EIGHT COMMODITY GROUPS, NAMELY, "ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC" "TEXTILES AND GARMENTS". + "TOYS" "FOOD" "CALIBRATION SERVICES" "CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS", "ENVIRONMENTAL TESTING" AND "CHEMICAL TESTING".

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TELARC OF NEW ZEALAND IS A GOVERNMENT-SUPPORTED, STATUTORY BODY ESTABLISHED IN 1972 BY ACT OF PARLIAMENT TO ORGANISE AN ON-GOING

IN 1983, ACCREDITATION PROGRAMME FOR TESTING LABORATORIES.

1983, TELARC'S RESPONSIBILITIES WERE EXTENDED TO INCLUDE THE ACCREDITATION OF QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEMS IN COMPANIES.

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CONSULTANCY AGREEMENT FOR ROAD TESTING PROGRAMME SIGNED

THE HIGHWAYS DEPARTMENT WILL SOON CARRY OUT A $10 MILLION ROAD TESTING PROGRAMME TO UPDATE THE DATA ON ROAD CONDITIONS, FORMULATE ROAD MAINTENANCE STRATEGIES AND DEVELOP A SPECIFIC DESIGN FOR LOCAL ROADS.

AT THE SIGNING CEREMONY OF THE CONSULTANCY AGREEMENT ON THE ROAD TESTING PROGRAMME TODAY (FRIDAY). THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF HIGHWAYS, MR TANG KWOK-KEE SAID IN 1985 THE HIGHWAYS DEPARTMENT HAD CARRIED OUT A SURVEY ON BITUMINOUS ROADS THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE FORMULATION OF MAINTENANCE, REHABILITATION AND RECONSTRUCTION STRATEGIES FOR THE HONG KONG ROADS.

UNDER

MR TANG SAID: "THIS INFORMATION IS NOW LARGELY OUTDATED. THIS CONSULTANCY THE DEPARTMENT INTENDS TO UPDATE THE PREVIOUS WORK BY CONDUCTING FURTHER TESTS ON BOTH THE BITUMINOUS AND CONCRETE ROADS WITH A VIEW TO REVISING THE STRUCTURAL DESIGN OF ROADS ACCORDING TO CHANGING NEEDS. THIS WILL HELP SAVE COSTS IN ROAD MAINTENANCE."

HE SAID THE CONSULTANCY AGREEMENT SIGNED TODAY WOULD INVOLVE A SERIES OF ON-SITE ROAD TESTING EVALUATIONS LASTING SIX MONTHS.

/THESE EVALUATIONS