EDITORIAL. | 
STEEL STANDARDIZATION: A SUCCESSFUL CONFERENCE. 
Highly satisfactory results attended a Conference held at the Insti- 
tute of Science and Industry on 1st and 2nd July, to consider the 
standardization of Structural Steel Sections. The invitations were 
issued by the Bureau of Commerce and Industry, but, in view of the 
‘active interest taken in the whole question of standardization by the 
Institute, the latter organization was requested to direct the proceedings. 
Professor Lyle presided over a representative gathering of engineers 
and manufacturers, the following being present:—Messrs. Stirling - 
Taylor (Director of the Bureau of Commerce and Industry), J. Vicars 
(Engineering Association, New South Wales), B. J. Smart (Public 
Works Department, New South Wales), C. Hoskins (J. and C. Hoskins, 
Lithgow), W. J. Doak (Institute of Engineers and Railways, Queens- 
land), D. Gray (Gray Bros. Pty., Victoria), E. E. Lucy (New South 
Wales Railways), E. Campbell (E. Campbell and Son, Victoria), E. A. 
Evans (Government Railways, Western Australia), W. E. Goode 
(Dorman, Long, and Co., South Melbourne), A. A. Goudy and T. D. 
Doyle (Victorian Railways), A. F. Pritchard (New South Wales 
Institute of Architects), E. Lewis and R. Rowe (Broken Hill Pty. Ltd.), 
W. Somerville (Institute of Architects, New South Wales), E. A. Bates 
and H. W. Tompkins (Institute of Architects, Victoria), T. Hill (Works 
and Railways, Victoria), S. W. B. McGregor (British Trade Commis- 
sioner), P. G. Tait (Commonwealth Works Department), W. P. Chan- 
cellor (Johns and Waygood), ©. S. Brittingham (Victorian Public 
Works), and H. W. Curchin (Commonwealth Ship Construction). 
The main purpose of the Convention was to determine the minimum 
number of structural steel sections that will meet general requirements, 
and which, at the same time, can be rolled economically in Australia, 
and with this point settled, to agree upon specifications of the steel to 
be used, with the chemical and physical tests required. ‘The importance 
of the subject was indicated by Professor Lyle who, at the outset, 
pointed out that the annual consumption of steel in Australia was from 
600,000 to 800,000 tons, while only from 200,000 tons to 250,000 tons 
are produced in Australia. To help bridge that enormous gap, and . 
make the Commonwealth self-supporting as concerns this basic industry, 
is one of the aims of the Institute. This object can only be attained 
by reducing the number of sections that users will demand from the 
makers. The reduction will, of course, involve the steel producers in 
less expense in rolling, and the users will reap the benefit in lower cost. 
Another point emphasized by the Chairman was that, although the 
decisions arrived.at could not be enforced, both the Bureau of Commerce 
and Industry and the Institute of Science and Industry would throw 
the full force of their influence behind the recommendations arrived at, 
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