This Bill is introduced for the purpose of authorising the use of certain standards in the custody of the Department of Industry and Commerce for the purpose of comparing and verifying other standards in the possession of inspectors of weights and measures, by which, in turn, the accuracy of weights and measures used by traders can be tested. Weights and measures inspectors have in their custody two sets of standards of weights and measures which are termed respectively local standards and working standards. The working standards are used locally for the purpose of periodically testing the weights and measures of traders, and the accuracy of these working standards is insured by a periodical comparison with the local standards which are kept by the inspectors under special conditions and used only for the purpose of reference and comparison. Before the establishment of Saorstát Eireann, the accuracy of these standards was verified by the British Board of Trade by comparison with standards in its possession. This Bill provides that the accuracy of these local standards shall be verified by periodical comparison with the standards in custody of the Department of Industry and Commerce, which are described in the Schedule to the Bill. The comparison of the standards being a matter which requires great accuracy and involving detailed examination of a considerable number of articles which are submitted to the headquarters of the Department from stations throughout the country, must necessarily be a very slow process and, accordingly, it is proposed in this Bill to allow for this comparison a period of two years from the passing of the Act, during which that comparison can take place, ensuring that all such standards will be duly verified and the necessary adjustments and repairs, if necessary, carried out.
The Bill further provides that any comparisons which have hitherto been made for the purposes of the Weights and Measures Acts of 1878 to 1928, shall be deemed to be valid and effective. I may say that this Bill has been introduced as a temporary measure. We contemplate the preparation of a Bill to codify and amend the whole weights and measures code, which, in some respects, is not applicable to the circumstances of this country, and in any event such codification and amendment are necessary. The preparation of a permanent measure is likely to take some time. It will be very involved and very technical and cannot be hastily prepared. It is necessary to have a temporary measure while the main Bill is being prepared, and that is why this measure is introduced at this stage.
