under careful observation so that any defects that may develop may be remedied at once before the damage has time to spread. These cases which have been instanced were on a large scale, but the need of competent advice may be equally important, relatively, in small cases. In one instance, groynes were put in and taken out without proper advice, as the majority in the Council swayed for or against them, with: resulting waste. The maintenance of sea defence works is always the great difficulty, and before incurring a large expenditure there is always the tendency to wait till something happens." Then it probably is too late, for the something generally happens during the rough winter weather when works of maintenance or reconstruction are impossible. General Remarks. It is obviously impossible to lay down any rule as to coast protection works owing to the varying conditions at different places. It would, however, tend towards economy if Councils who have not a surveyor fully competent to design such works would employ a competent outside engineer, not only to advise them on works to be carried out, but to inspect the works annually and report what maintenance works, if any, are required. If this practice had been followed in some cases recently before the Ministry, much money would have been saved, whereas the cost of such an annual inspection would not be great. It is also desirable, where coast works are required for the protection of a flat sandy coast, to have an accurate marine survey extending, say, half a mile to sea, with soundings taken on definite lines. The survey should extend for some distance each side of the place to be protected, and the soundings should be repeated annually or at such intervals as may be recommended by the responsible engineer. The survey should also show current observations during different conditions of tide and wind and, to be of value, should be made by an engineer who has had special experience in marine surveying. If Local Authorities would adopt this proposal, any engineer called in later would have proper data upon which to design works, whereas at present, without such a survey, he is usually groping in the dark. But, as important as the survey, is the annual, or six-monthly, inspection of works by the engineer who designed them. He will take more personal interest in their preservation and will probably know what to look for better than another. In fact, if Local Authorities would employ a competent engineer, do what he tells them and not follow amateur advice, there would not be so much trouble with sea defence works, though at certain places, as already instanced, unforeseen difficulties are bound to arise. (Signed) P. M. CROSTHWAITE. MINISTRY OF HEALTH, WHITEHALL, S.W.J. November, 1925. 1. As from 4th January, 1926, a man who holds a certificate of exemption from National Health Insurance will, so long as he is employed within the meaning of the National Health Insurance Act, 1924, be compulsorily insurable under the Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, 1925, for the purpose of Widows' and Orphans' Pensions, but not for Old Age Pensions. A woman, however, who holds a certificate of exemption from National Health Insurance will be exempt also from insurance under the Contributory Pensions Act. 2. The total contribution payable under the above Acts in respect of an exempt man will be 11d. for each week during the whole or part of which he is employed, and of this amount 2d. (representing the employed person's contribution for widows' and orphans' pensions) may be deducted by the employer from the remuneration of the employed person. In the case of an exempt woman the total contribution will be 7d. a week, no part of which may be recovered by the employer from the employed person. An exempt person is not entitled to stamp his card for any week when he is not employed. 3. An exempt man who ceases to be employed within the meaning of the National Health Insurance Act, 1924, will remain an insured. person for widows' and orphans' pensions so long as he continues to be entitled to medical benefit under the health insurance scheme, although no contributions are payable after he has ceased to be employed. If 104 contributions have been paid for him, including contributions paid up to 4th January, 1926, he will also have the option of preserving his pension rights by becoming a voluntary contributor under the combined schemes of health insurance and widows', orphans' and old age pensions. An exempt man who desires to become a voluntary contributor on ceasing to be employed may obtain further information on the matter from the Department. 4. The pension payable to the widow of an exempt man is 10s. a week, with additional allowances for children under the age of 14 (or 16 if under full-time instruction in a day school) at the rates of 5s. a week for the eldest or only child and 3s. a week for any other child. Where both parents are dead, the pension payable in respect of orphan children of an exempt man until the age of 14 (or 16 if under full-time instruction in a day school) is at the rate of 7s. 6d. a week for each child. The widow's pension continues until the age of 70 (unless she remarries) and is then followed by an old age pension under the Old Age Pension Acts, 1908 to 1924, without the tests as to means, nationality and residence imposed by those Acts. 5. The payment of these pensions is subject to certain conditions, including the following: (a) The exempt man at the time of his death must be an insured person for the purposes of widows' and orphans' pensions, as explained in paragraph 3. (b) 104 weeks must have elapsed, and 104 contributions must have been paid in respect of him, since he became so insured. (Weeks up to the 4th January, 1926, during which the man was an exempt person or entitled to medical benefit by reason of having been an exempt person, and contributions paid for such weeks, will count, if necessary, for the purpose of satisfying this condition.) (c) 26 contributions (including weeks of sickness and genuine unemployment) must have been paid on the average in each of the last three contribution years before he died or attained the health insurance age limit, as the case may be. (An exempt man whose contributions fall below 13 in any contribution half-year by reason of sickness or inability to obtain employment should so inform the Department, and should be prepared to furnish such evidence in the matter as may be required, in order that he may be credited with the full number of contributions to which he is entitled.) 6. Exempt persons, both men and women, will continue to be provided with medical benefit under the same conditions as heretofore. MINISTRY OF HEALTH, INSURANCE DEPARTMENT, EXEMPTIONS BRANCH, BROMYARD AVENUE, LONDON, W.3. WELSH BOARD OF HEALTH, CARDIFF. STATUTORY RULES AND ORDERS. 1925, No. 579. [Amended Reprint.] WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. Fees to be taken by the Standards Department of the Board of Trade on the comparison and verification of Standards and Apparatus for the use of Local Authorities. THE STANDARDS DEPARTMENT (LOCAL AUTHORITIES) FEES ORDER, 1925, DATED APRIL 28, 1925, MADE BY THE Board of TRADE, WITH THE CONCURRENCE OF THE TREASURY, PRESCRIBING THE FEES TO BE TAKEN BY THE STANDARDS DEPARTMENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE ON THE COMPARISON AND VERIFICATION OF STANDARDS AND APPARATUS FOR THE USE OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES. 1. The Board of Trade under the powers conferred by Section 3 of the Weights and Measures Act, 1889 (52 & 53 Vict. c. 21) and Section 6 of the Fees (Increase) Act, 1923 (13 Geo. 5. c. 4), with the approval of the Treasury, and after consultation with such associations of Local Authorities as appeared to them to be concerned, have determined that on and after the 1st July, 1925, the fees to be taken at the Standards Department of the Board of Trade on the comparison and verification of Weights and Measures and Weighing and Measuring Instruments for the use of Local Authorities or their officers in the discharge of their duties under the Weights and Measures Acts, 1878 to 1904 (41 & 42 Vict. c. 49; 52 & 53 Vict. c. 21; 4 Edw. 7. c. 28) Sale of Gas Act, 1859 (22 & 23 Vict. c. 66) or Gas Regulation Act, 1920 (10 & 11 Geo. 5. c. 28) shall be those set out in the accompanying schedule. 2. This Order may be cited as the Standards Department (Local Authorities) Fees Order, 1925. Dated this 28th day of April, 1925. H. A. Payne, A Secretary to the Board of Trade. Schedule. FEES TO BE TAKEN ON THE COMPARISON AND VERIFICATION OF STANDARDS AND APPARATUS FOR THE USE OF INSPECTORS OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES WHEN DELIVERED AT STANDARDS DEPARTMENT. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 100 lb. to 5 lb. (Avoir.), per set ... ... ... 500 C.M. to 0005 C.M., per set ... ... ... ... : Fees for weights other than the sets included in the above schedule will be assessed as follows: — (b) 10 or more in set (head weight not exceeding 7 lb.), each weight (c) 20 or more in set (head weight not exceeding 7 lb.), each weight All weights exceeding 7 lb. to be charged as single weights. Sets with less than 10 or 20 weights respectively, will be charged as containing 10 or 20, if this is the cheaper rate. Measures of Capacity or Volume (including apoth. measures 40 fl. oz. to 1 fl. dr. (metal), per set 20 litres to 0001 litre (metal), per set Fees for measures other than the sets included in the above schedule will be assessed as follows: (i) Unsubdivided :- (a) Not exceeding 1 gallon or 5 litres, each ... (b) Exceeding 1 gallon (or 5 litres) but not exceeding (ii) Subdivided (including glass measures and pipettes):- Yard, rod or bed (unsubdivided), each ... Yard scale or bed (subdivided), including micrometer and folding patterns, each 03 6 Metre scale or bed (subdivided), including micrometer and folding patterns, each Measures of length exceeding 1 yard or 1 metre (subdivided), each |