Weights and Measures Act, 1936

What is this act about?

This law validates the use of specific standards held by the Minister for Industry and Commerce for comparing and verifying weights and measures, replacing the need for Board of Trade standards. It ensures that past and future comparisons using these new standards are legally sound.

Who it applies to: The Minister for Industry and Commerce, who holds the specified standards; Anyone involved in the comparison and verification of weights and measures under the Weights and Measures Acts, 1878 to 1928.

At a glance

Country: Ireland
Area of law: Commercial and corporate law
Articles: 6
Source: irishstatutebook.ie
Text retrieved: 2026-06-17
Explanation updated: 2026-07-07

What does this act regulate?

The legal validity of comparisons and verifications of weights and measures made with standards held by the Minister for Industry and Commerce.
The use of multiples or aliquot parts of the Minister's standards for comparison when an exact equivalent is not available.
The continued status of local standards even if required comparisons or verifications were missed within a specific timeframe.

Who does this act apply to?

The Minister for Industry and Commerce, who holds the specified standards.
Anyone involved in the comparison and verification of weights and measures under the Weights and Measures Acts, 1878 to 1928.

What are the key points?

Comparisons and verifications made with the Minister's standards (listed in the Schedule) are considered valid, even if made before this Act passed.
If an exact equivalent weight or measure is not available, comparisons can be made using multiples or aliquot parts of the Minister's standards.
A local standard will not lose its status if a required comparison or verification was missed before this Act or within two years after its passing.
The Act specifies various standards in the custody of the Minister, including Avoirdupois Weights (e.g., 100 pounds, 56 pounds), Measures of Capacity (e.g., bushel, gallon), Decimal Grain Weights, Troy Bullion Weights, Apothecaries Weights, Apothecaries Measures, a Yard Measure, and an Inch Measure.

Commercial and corporate law

Registry of Friendly Societies Act, 1936

Transport Act, 1966

Shannon Free Airport Development Company Limited (Amendment) Act, 1989

Industrial and Commercial Property (Protection) (Neuchatel Agreement) Act, 1947

Irish Shipping Limited (Amendment) Act, 1984

Industrial Development Act 2009

European Communities and Swiss Confederation Act, 2001

Industrial Grants (Amendment) Act, 1964

Commercial and corporate law

Legal text

Contents (6)

Section 1
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4
Section 5
Section 6

Weights and Measures Act, 1936 Skip to content Disclaimer Feedback Helpdesk Gaeilge Léim go dtí an t-ábhar Séanadh Aiseolas Deasc chabhrach English Gaeilge English Produced by the Office of the Attorney General Táirgthe ag Oifig an Ard-Aighne Home Legislation Acts of the Oireachtas Statutory Instruments Pre-1922 Legislation Constitution External Resources Bills (Houses of the Oireachtas) Iris Oifigiúil / Official Gazette Revised Acts (LRC) Classified List of Legislation (LRC) Translations (acts.ie) Translations (Houses of the Oireachtas) Government Publications for Sale EU Law (EUR-Lex) FAQ Disclaimer Feedback Helpdesk Search Baile Reachtaíocht Achtanna an Oireachtais Ionstraimí Reachtúla Reachtaíocht Réamh-1922 Bunreacht Acmhainní Seachtracha Billí (Tithe an Oireachtais) Iris Oifigiúil Achtanna Athbhreithnithe (CAD) (An Coimisiún um Athchóiriú an Dlí) Liosta Rangaithe Reachtaíochta Aistriúcháin (achtanna.ie) Aistriúcháin (Tithe an Oireachtais) Foilseacháin Rialtais ar Díol Dlí AE (EUR-Lex) CCanna (Ceisteanna Coitianta) Séanadh Aiseolas Deasc chabhrach Cuardach TitleTeideal Year(s) or rangeBliain nó blianta nó raon TypeCineál All Legislation Acts Statutory Instruments Advanced SearchCuardach Casta HomeBaile ActsAchtanna 1936 Weights and Measures Act, 1936 Weights and Measures Act, 1936 Permanent Page URL View by SectionAmharc de réir Ailt View Full ActAmharc ar an Acht Iomlán Bill History Stair Bille Commencement, Amendments, SIs made under the Act Tosach Feidhme, Leasuithe, IRí arna ndéanamh faoin Acht Print Full ActPriontáil an tAcht Iomlán Number 8 of 1936.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ACT, 1936.

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS Section

Section 1

Definitions and construction.

Section 2

Validation of certain comparisons, etc., of weights and measures.

Section 3

Validation, etc., of local standards.

Section 4

Short title and citation.

SCHEDULE.

Standards in the Custody of the Minister for Industry and Commerce.

Number 8 of 1936.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ACT, 1936.

AN ACT TO AUTHORISE AND VALIDATE THE USE OF CERTAIN STANDARDS IN THE CUSTODY OF THE MINISTER FOR INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE, IN LIEU OF BOARD OF TRADE STANDARDS, FOR THE COMPARISON AND VERIFICATION OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES IN PURSUANCE OF THE WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ACTS, 1878 TO 1928, AND TO PROVIDE FOR OTHER MATTERS RELATING TO SUCH COMPARISON AND VERIFICATION. [14th March, 1936.] BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS OF SAORSTÁT EIREANN AS FOLLOWS:— Definitions and construction.

1.—(1) The expression “the Minister” means the Minister for Industry and Commerce; the expression “the Acts” means the Weights and Measures Acts, 1878 to 1928; the word “verification” includes re-verification.

(2)The Acts and this Act shall be read and construed together, and accordingly every expression and word used in this Act to which a particular meaning is given by any of the Acts for the purposes of such Act has in this Act the meaning so given.

Validation of certain comparisons, etc., of weights and measures.

2.—(1) Whenever the Acts require or stipulate that any particular comparison and verification of weights and measures shall be made with Board of Trade standards, then and in every such case, notwithstanding anything contained in the Acts, any such comparison and verification made (whether before or after the passing of this Act) with the standards in the custody of the Minister and set out in the Schedule to this Act shall be and, in the case of any such comparison and verification made before the passing of this Act, be deemed always to have been a good and sufficient compliance with such requirement or stipulation and shall be and, in the case aforesaid, be deemed always to have been a valid and effective comparison and verification for the purposes of the Acts.

(2)Where any such comparison and verification with standards in the custody of the Minister as is mentioned in the next preceding sub-section of this section was or shall be made in respect of a weight or measure of which there is not an equivalent weight or measure in the custody of the Minister, such comparison and verification shall be and, if made before the passing of this Act, be deemed always to have been made validly and sufficiently for the purposes of the said sub-section if such comparison and verification is or was made by means of standards in the custody of the Minister which are multiples or aliquot parts of the said weight or measure the subject of such comparison and verification.

Validation, etc., of local standards.

3.—Where, in the case of any particular local standard, there has been, at any time before the passing of this Act, or shall be during the period of two years after such passing, a failure to make a comparison or verification required by the Acts to be made in respect of such local standard, such local standard shall not cease or be deemed ever to have ceased to be a local standard by reason merely of such failure.

Short title and citation.

4.—(1) This Act may be cited as the Weights and Measures Act, 1936.

(2)The Acts and this Act may be cited together as the Weights and Measures Acts, 1878 to 1936.

SCHEDULE.

Standards in the Custody of the Minister for Industry and Commerce.

PART I.

Avoirdupois Weights.

1.One brass cylindrical standard of 100 pounds avoirdupois marked with— (a) the weight thereof in pounds avoirdupois, and (b) the figures “3549” and (c) the words “W. & T. Avery Ltd., Birmingham,” and (d) the letters “G.R.” surmounted by a crown, and (e) a portcullis surmounted by the figures “1924”, and (f) the words “Ministry of Industry and Commerce”.

2.Seven gun-metal spherical standards of 56, 28, 14, 7, 4, 2, and 1 pounds avoirdupois respectively, and each marked with the weight thereof in pounds avoirdupois, the figures “1880”, and (except the 7 lbs. and under standards) the words “L. Oertling, London”.

3.Four gun-metal spherical standards of 8, 4, 2 and 1 ounces avoirdupois respectively, each marked with the weight thereof in ounces avoirdupois and (except the 8 oz. standard) the figures “1880”.

4.Five gun-metal spherical standards of 8, 4, 2, 1, and ½ drams avoirdupois respectively, each marked with the weight thereof in drams avoirdupois, and (except the ½ dram standard) the figures “1880”.

Section 5

5.Five gun-metal spherical standards of 240, 120, 72, 48, and 24 grains respectively, each marked with the weight thereof in grains and all enclosed in a wooden box marked with the figures “3212”.

Section 6

6.Five gun-metal spherical standards of 240, 120, 72, 48, and 24 grains respectively, each marked with the weight thereof in grains and all enclosed in a wooden box marked with the figures “3213”.

PART II.

Measures of Capacity.

1.Eleven gun-metal cylindrical standards of bushel, half-bushel, peck, gallon, half-gallon, quart, pint, half-pint, gill, half-gill, and quarter-gill capacity respectively, and each marked with the capacity thereof, and the figures “1880” and the words “L. Oertling, London”.

2.One gun-metal cylindrical standard of one-third pint capacity, marked-with the capacity thereof, and the figures “9009”, and the words “De Grave & Co., Ltd., London”.

PART III.

Decimal Grain Weights.

1.Eleven brass cylindrical standards of 4000, 2000, 1000, 500, 300, 200, 100, 50, 30, 20, and 10 grains respectively, each marked with the weight thereof in grains.

2.Twelve standards of 5, 3, 2, 1, 0.5, 0.3, 0.2, 0.1, 0.05, 0.03, 0.02, and 0.01 grains respectively, all enclosed in a wooden box marked with the figures “3211”

PART IV.

Troy Bullion Weights.

1.Twenty brass cylindrical standards of 500, 400, 300, 200, 100, 50, 40, 30, 20, 10, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0.5, 0.4, 0.3, 0.2, and 0.1 ounces troy respectively and each marked with— (a) the weight thereof in ounces troy, and (b) except the 5 oz. and under standards, the words “Ministry of Industry and Commerce”, and (c) the figures “3610”, and (d) except the 10 oz. and under standards, the words “W. & T. Avery Ltd., Birmingham” (or “Birmm.”), and (e) the letters “G.R.” surmounted by a crown, and (f) a portcullis surmounted by the figures “1924”.

2.Five brass flat standards of 0.05, 0.04, 0.03, 0.02, and 0.01 ounces troy respectively, each marked with the weight thereof in ounces troy, the figures “3610”, the letters “G.R.” surmounted by a crown, and a portcullis surmounted by the figures “1924”.

3.Five platinum wire standards of 0.005, 0.004, 0.003, 0.002. and 0.001 ounces troy respectively.

PART V.

Apothecaries Weights.

1.Thirteen brass cylindrical standards of 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, and 1 ounces apothecaries, 4, 2 and 1 drachms apothecaries, and 2, 1 ½, 1 and ½ scruples apothecaries respectively, each marked with the weight thereof in ounces, drachms, or scruples (as the case may be) apothecaries, the figures “3545”, the letters “G.R.” surmounted by a crown, and a portcullis surmounted by the figures “1924”.

2.Six German silver wire standards of 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 grains respectively.

3.One aluminium flat standard of one-half grain, marked with the weight thereof in grains, the figures “3545”, the letters “G.R.” surmounted by a crown, and a portcullis surmounted by the figures “1924”.

PART VI

Apothecaries Measures.

1.Two glass cylindrical standards of 10 fluid ounces and 8 fluid drachms capacity respectively, each sub-divided and marked with the letters and figures “D.I.C., S.E. 28” (enclosed in a circle) and the figures “3684”.

2.Four glass cylindrical standards of 4 fluid ounces, 16 fluid drachms, 1 fluid drachm, and 30 minims capacity respectively, each sub-divided and marked with the figures “3684”, the letters “G.R.” surmounted by a crown, the figures “1925” surmounted by a portcullis.

PART VII.

Yard Measure.

One brass standard of the limit gauge form, sub-divided into feet, inches, and twelfths, sixteenths, and hundredths of an inch, and one brass rod standard, both the said standards being marked with— (a) the figures “3655”, and (b) the words “Standard Yard”, and (c) the words “Ministry of Industry and Commerce”, and (d) except the brass rod, the words “W. & T. Avery Ltd., London”, and (e) the letters “G.R.” surmounted by a crown, and (f) a portcullis surmounted by the figures “1924”.

PART VIII.

Inch Measure.

One brass bevelled standard sub-divided into tenths and hundredths of an inch and marked with— (a) the figures “3537”, and (b) the figure and word “1 inch”, and (c) the letters “G.R.” surmounted by a crown, and (d) a portcullis surmounted by the figures “1924”.

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