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Metrication Act

LAWS OF FIJI


CHAPTER 228A


METRICATION


Act No. 16 of 1977


AN ACT TO INTRODUCE THE UNITS OF THE METRIC SYSTEM IN FIJI, TO ENABLE NECESSARY MODIFICATION OF LEGISLATION TO BE EFFECTED AND FOR MATTERS INCIDENTAL THERETO


[1st March, 1978.]


Short title


1. This Act may be cited as the Metrication Act.


Interpretation


2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—


"International System of Units" means the system of units recommended by the General Conferences of Weights and Measures from time to time convened by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures, and the abbreviation "SI" shall be recognised as the legal reference to such system of units.


Metric Units


3.—(1) On and after the commencement of this Act, the units of the metric system shall have legal force and validity in Fiji.


(2) The units of the metric system shall consist of—


(a) the base units of SI set out in the First Schedule including their multiples and sub-multiples;


(b) the supplementary and derived units of SI set out in the Second Schedule; and


(c) the additional units set out in the Third Schedule.


Power to adapt, etc.


4. The Minister responsible for the administration of a particular Act may, in respect of that Act, by order provide for the adaptation, alteration, conversion or modification of any of the provisions thereof as may be to him appropriate for the purpose of replacing references to units other than metric units contained therein by references to units of the metric system which are either equivalent thereto or such approximations thereto as appear to the appropriate Minister desirable to ensure that the written law as adapted, altered, converted or modified is expressed in convenient terms.


Conversion of imperial standard units to metric units


5. The values expressed in terms of any units of the imperial standard relating to measures of extension whether lineal, superficial or solid, or weight or capacity may be converted into values expressed in terms of the units of the metric system in accordance with the Fourth Schedule.


Saving


6. No act or thing done prior to the making of an order in terms of section 4 shall be challenged only on the ground that the act or thing done was in a unit other than a unit of the metric system.


FIRST SCHEDULE
(SI BASE UNITS)


Quantity
Name
Symbol

Length .................................................

metre ..........................

m
Mass ....................................................
kilogram .....................
kg
Time ....................................................
second .......................
s
intensity of electric current ...................
ampere .......................
A
thermodynamic temperature .................
kelvin .........................
K
luminous intensity ...............................
candela .......................
cd
amount of substance ............................
mole ............................
mol

SECOND SCHEDULE
(SI SUPPLEMENTARY UNITS)


Quantity
Name
Symbol

plane angle ...........................................

radian .........................

rad
solid angle ............................................
steradian ......................
sr

(SI DERIVED UNITS)


Quantity
Name
Symbol

area .......................................................

square metre ....................

m2
volume .................................................
cubic metre ......................
m3
frequency .............................................
hertz ................................
Hz
density (mass density) ..........................
kilogram per cubic metre ..
kg/m3
velocity ...............................................
metre per second ..............
m/s
angular velocity ...................................
radian per second .............
rad/s
acceleration .........................................
metre per second squared..
m/s2
angular acceleration .............................
radian per second squared..
rad/s2
force ...................................................
newton ............................
N
pressure (stress) ...................................
pascal ..............................
Pa
dynamic viscosity ................................
pascal second ...................
Pa.s
kinematic viscosity ..............................
square metre per second
m2/s
work, energy, quantity of heat .............
joule ...............................
J
power .................................................
watt ................................
W
quantity of electricity
coulomb ..........................
C
electric potential, potential difference, electromotive force
}
.......................
volt .................................
V

electric field strength ............................

volt per metre ..................

V/m
electric resistance .................................
ohm ................................
electric capacitance ..............................
farad ...............................
F
Conductance .......................................
siemens ...........................
S
magnetic flux ......................................
weber ..............................
Wb
inductance ..........................................
henry ...............................
H
magnetic flux density ..........................
tesla ................................
T
magnetic field strength ........................
ampere per metre .............
A/m
luminous flux .....................................
lumen ..............................
lm
luminance ..........................................
candela per square metre ..
cd/m2
illuminance ........................................
lux ..................................
lx
wave number ......................................
1 per metre ......................
m-1
heat capacity, entropy .........................
joule per kelvin ................
J/K
specific heat capacity ..........................
joule per kilogram kelvin...
J/kg.K
thermal conductivity ..........................
watt per metre kelvin .......
W/m.K
radiant intensity .................................
watt per steradian .............
W/sr
activity (of a radio-active source) ........
1 per second .....................
s-1
torque, moment of force .....................
newton metre ..................
N.m
surface tension ...................................
newton per metre .............
N/m
specific energy ...................................
joule per kilogram ............
J/kg
energy density ...................................
joule per cubic metre ........
J/m3
current density ..................................
ampere per square metre ...
A/m2
molar energy .....................................
joule per mole ..................
J/mol
moment of inertia .............................
kilogram square metre ......
kg.m2
momentum .......................................
kilogram metre per second
kg.m/s

PacLII Editor's Note: If the table is not clearly shown, please refer to PDF original for reference


THIRD SCHEDULE
(ADDITIONAL UNITS)


Quantity
Name
Symbol

time .............................
{
minute .............
hour .................
day ...................
min
h
d
= 60 s
= 60 min
= 24 h
angle .............................
{
degree ..............
minute .............
second ..............
º
ʹ
ʺ
= π/180 rad
= /60
= /60
volume ..........................
litre .........................
l
= dm3
mass ..............................
tonne ......................
t
= 1,000 kg
temperature, temperature interval
}
...........
degree Celsius .........
ºC
(0 ºC = 273.15K)

distance ..........................

nautical mile ...........

n mile

= 1,852 m
speed ..............................
knot ........................
kn
= 1 nautical mile per hour
area ................................
are ..........................
hectare ....................
a
ha
= 100 m2
= 10,000 m2
pressure .........................
bar ..........................
b
= 105Pa
standard
atmosphere
}.......

atm

=101.325 kPa

FOURTH SCHEDULE


Conversion of Imperial Standard Units to Equivalent Metric Units:


Imperial Standard Units
Metric Units
1 yard.......................................................
= 0.914,4 metre exactly
1 pound....................................................
= 0.453,592,37 kilogram exactly
1 gallon....................................................
= 4.546,09 litres approximately

= 4.546,09 cubic decimetres approximately

Controlled by Ministry of Commerce and Industry


CHAPTER 228A


METRICATION


Orders made by the Minister under section 33 of the Weights and Measures Act (Chapter 56: 1967 Edition)


Units of the metric system only shall be used—


Orders

With effect from
11th April, 1978
for the sale of cloth by the length throughout Fiji.
1st October, 1978

27th July, 1978

for the sale and purchase of meat and meat products in pre-packaged form throughout Fiji

1st November, 1978

1st November, 1978

except for those goods for which an earlier date has been specified—


(a) for the sale of all pre-packed goods in—


(i) Central Division;
1st March, 1979

(ii) Western Division;
1st May, 1979

(iii) Northern and Eastern Divisions.
1st July, 1979

(b) for the sale of all other goods sold by weight throughout Fiji.
1st August, 1979.

Controlled by Ministry of Commerce and Industry



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