on 2004-07-11 02.41, MightyChimp at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> Pat,
>
> Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't the Australian government ban the
> importation and sale of non-metric measuring devices in the 70s and 80s?
> This ban helped wean the people off of FFU much faster then if the sale of
> non-metric measuring devices had been permitted.
>
> Euric
Dear Euric,
Here is the relevant extract from 'Metrication in Australia' by Kevin Wilks.
'In addition to the sale or description of consumer products by unit of
measurement, conversion required that the instruments used in the processes
of use or manufacture of these products be converted also.
'As with retail scale conversion, real estate advertising, building and
construction in which conversion could not have occurred without the support
and protection of legislation, conversion of instrumentation or measuring
equipment in areas where this was feasible seemed unlikely to occur on a
purely voluntary basis.
'The Board sought the cooperation of the Department of Business and Consumer
Affairs in obtaining an amendment of the Customs (Prohibited Imports)
Regulations to prohibit the importation of certain types of non-metric
measuring devices, except where it could be shown that such devices were
essential to the continued operation and maintenance of existing plant and
equipment, or equipment newly purchased from non-metric sources.
'While ample facilities appeared to exist under this regulation for
exemption to be granted wherever imperial measuring devices were shown to be
necessary for use with existing plant, and a great number were issued, the
regulations tended to favor the larger organisations and reacted unfairly
against the smaller companies or private individuals. Indeed, while industry
appeared to cope very well under such controls it was the resentment of the
many private home handyman type of user which eventually gave rise to
political pressure from Members of Parliament to have the regulation
repealed.
'The import prohibitions operated for 21/2 years and from industrial users,
at least, most complaints had, by then, very nearly ceased. Those for whom
non-metric instruments were essential got the instruments they required,
while those for whom imperial instruments were a matter of preference but
not essential learned quickly to work with metric instruments. From this
point of view, which by now had obtained the support of both importers and
local manufacturers, it was disappointing that the Government did not see
fit to allow the regulations to continue for another year, by which time the
purpose for which they were designed would, almost certainly, have been
achieved.
'Unfortunately, the import prohibitions and local agreements were seen as an
affront to the great many private individuals who, for reasons of habit and
tradition, would probably continue to think and work in feet and inches for
the rest of their lives. For those people, metrication was not a
technological change but a major cultural change to which they were not
actually opposed but about which they just didn't wish to be bothered.
'In hindsight, the introduction of the import prohibitions, and the
concurrent agreement among local tape measure manufacturers, was a mistake
and did much to detract from an otherwise, if not popular, successful and
trouble free conversion and it was better that it was withdrawn earlier
rather than later'.
**
As you know, in Australia, the building industry chose millimetres as their
small unit. The actual statement in the pamphlet, �Metric Information � for
Building and Construction Workers� (October 1973), said:
�(1) Distances for transport will be measured in kilometres (km)
1�km = 1�000 m = about 5/8 mile
�(2) The centimetre will be used in the clothing industry. It is only 10
times 1�mm and to avoid confusion it will not be used in building.
�N.B. DON�T use a tape or rule marked in both millimetres and feet and
inches and never use one marked in centimetres�.
The words, 'will not be used in building', were printed in bold letters in
the original document.
With this one decision, the Metric Conversion Board removed the need for all
vulgar fractions (and all calculations involving vulgar fractions) and all
decimal fractions (and all calculations involving decimal fractions) on any
building site. I believe that this single decision was largely instrumental
in allowing the Australian building industry to make a smooth and relatively
rapid transition to metrication. In my own personal experience, for most
builders metrication was largely completed by 1976.
In the book, �Metrication in Australia�, Kevin Wilks says that (by 1982):
�Building regulations in all States had been metric for many years. All
plans and specifications, development applications, building materials and
promotional literature for project homes were metric, although a few project
builders, selling principally to retired people, saw some advantage in
giving imperial equivalents�.
In comparison, the clothing industry, which chose to use centimetres, is
still struggling with their metrication transition.
Occupations and millimetres
In a recent study that I did on occupations in Australia, I noted that for
most job descriptions, millimetres were used as the basic small measure.
Here is my analysis of a list of occupations that I obtained from the
Australian Bureau of Statistics:
90 occupations � millimetre users
Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Avionics), Aircraft Maintenance Engineer
(Mechanical), Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Structures), Automotive
Electrician, Binder and Finisher, Blacksmith, Boat Builder and Repairer,
Bricklayer, Broadcast Transmitter Operator, Business Machine Mechanic,
Cabinetmaker, Cable Jointer, Carpenter, Carpenter and Joiner, Communications
Linesperson, Computing Support Technician, Dental Technician, Drainer,
Electrical Engineering Technician, Electrical Powerline Tradesperson,
Electrician (Special Class), Electronic Engineering Technician, Electronic
Equipment Tradesperson, Electronic Instrument Tradesperson (Special Class),
Electroplater, Engraver, Farrier, Fibrous Plasterer, Fitter, Flat Glass
Tradesperson, Floor Finisher, Furniture Finisher, Furniture Upholsterer,
Gasfitter, Gem Cuter and Polisher, General Communications Tradesperson,
General Electrician, General Electronic Instrument Tradesperson, General
Fabrication Engineering Tradesperson, General Mechanical Engineering
Tradesperson, General Plumber, Glass Blower, Graphic Pre-Press Tradesperson,
Greenkeeper, Gunsmith, Jeweller, Joiner, Leather Goods Maker, Lift Mechanic,
Locksmith, Mechanical Engineering Technician, Mechanical Services and
Airconditioning Plumber, Medical Grade Shoemaker, Metal Casting
Tradesperson, Metal Fabricator (Boilermaker), Metal Machinist (First Class),
Metal Polisher, Motor Mechanic, Optical Mechanic, Painter and Decorator,
Panel Beater, Patternmaker-Grader (Clothing), Piano maker, Piano Tune,
Precision Instrument Maker and Repairer, Pressure Welder, Printing
Machinist, Refrigeration and Airconditioning Mechanic, Roof Plumber, Roof
Slater and Tiler, Saw Maker and Repairer, Screen Printer, Small Offset
Printer, Sheetmetal Worker (First Class), Shipwright, Shoemaker, Signwriter,
Small Offset Printer, Solid Plasterer, Stonemason, Textile, Clothing or
Footwear Mechanic, Toolmaker, Upholsterers and Bedding Tradespersons (nec),
Vehicle Body Maker, Vehicle Painter, Vehicle Trimmer, Wall and Floor Tiler,
Watch and Clock Maker and Repairer, Welder (First Class), Wood Tradesperson
(nec), and Wood Turner.
11 occupations � cm and inches users
Apparel Cutter, Baker, Chef, Chef � Head Chef, Cook, Dressmaker, General
Clothing Tradesperson, Pastry Cook, Picture Framer, Sail Maker, and Tailor.
6 occupations � cm, feet and inches users
Canvas Goods Maker, General Gardener, Head Gardener, Landscape Gardener,
Nurseryperson, Tree Surgeon
7 occupations where length measures are relatively unimportant
Butcher, Buttermaker or Cheesemaker, Confectioner, Hairdresser, Smallgoods
Maker Supervisor, Hairdressers Supervisor, and Meat Tradespersons.
90 occupations = 78.9 %
11 occupations = 9.6 %
6 occupations = 5.3 %
7 occupations = 6.1 %
114 occupations = 100 %
Cheers,
Pat Naughtin LCAMS
Geelong, Australia
Pat Naughtin is the editor of the free online newsletter, 'Metrication
matters'. You can subscribe by sending an email containing the words
subscribe Metrication matters to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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