The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-11-02 00:00:00

THE WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ACT.

The Times of Wednesday, in their City article. re-
marks :—" An Act was passed last Session which does
not seem to have attracted the attention it ought to
have done. It is called the ' Weights and Measures
Act, 1878,' and it comes into operation on the Ist of
January next. The principal object of the Act is to
secure uniformity of weights and measures through-
out the United Kingdom. At present, notwith-
standing the existence of the imperial standards, the
utmost confusion prevails throughout the kingdom
in both weights and measures. Local standards
have held their ground against every attempt to
introduce uniformity. Our provincial corn markets,
for example, will show how persistent these local
customs are, as well as the confusion which they pro-
duce. Not only is there no uniformity in the unit of
measure quoted, but not unfrequently • quarters '
*bushels,' • cwts.," bolls,' or 'sacks,' mean different
measures in different places. The confusion in weights
is almost as great, and it is with a view to rectify
these anomalies that this Act has been passed. After
the Ist of January, 1879, according to the 23rd and
24th clauses of this Act :
"1 Any person who prints, and any clerk of a market or
other person who makes any return, price list, price current
or any journal or other paper containing price list or price
current, in which the denomination of weights and measures
woted or referred to denotes or implies a greater or less
weight or measure than is denoted or implied by the same
denomination of the imperial weights and measures under
this Act, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding 10a. for
every copy of every such return, price list, price current,
journal, or other paper which he publishes.

" 'Every person who uses or has in his possession for use for
trade a we4,ht or measure which is not of the denomination
of some Board of Trade standard, stall be liable to a fine
not exceeding £5, or in the case of a second offence £lO,
and the weight or measure shall be liable to be forfeited.'

"We doubt (continues The Times) whether any
appreciable section of the trading public is aware of
this enactment, but it is high time its provilions were
taken account of. It will soon be illegal to use any
weight which is not some fraction or some multiple of
the imperial pound any measure of length which is
not derived from the imperial standard yard, or any
measure of weight and capacity which is not derived
from the imperial standard pound. In the use of
measures of capacity heaped measure' is to be
abolished, and the vessel only filled to the brim. All
the existing subdivisions of the pound measure are
to be of course retained, and no change is made in
the law regarding the use of troy and apothecaries'
weight. The law will, therefore, apply chiefly at
against the local customs in ordinary trade. Bar.
gains in anything but imperial weights and measures
will henceforth be illegal, and those entering into such
will be liable to a fine of 40e. for every sale made.
Local standards are to be provided, and the ad-
ministration of the Act as well as the CUE.
tody of the standards is vested in the Board of
Trade. All local standards are to be subject
to reverification at least once in five years, The
Act contains the usual penalties against those using
false weights or measures, which need not be here set
forth. There is also a series of tables of metrical
equivalents appended which are to be accepted as
giving the correct equivalents of the imperial weights
and ineuures in use in this country. The Act is thus
one of great importance to all engaged in trade, and
every means ought. to be used to make its provisions
and penalties as widely known as possible before the
I day arrives on which it comes into force,"