– xix –

Metric Conversion

Since 1960, most countries in the world, including New Zealand, have converted from varying methods of measurement to the Système International d'Unités (SI). The traditional English system for money and measurement denominations has been retained in this book, in keeping with the sources used and with the other volumes of the Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War series.

The following information is supplied for conversion purposes:

Money

• One pound (£1) (20 shillings) = 2 dollars ($2)

• One shilling (12 pence) = 10 cents

• One guinea (21 shillings) = $2.10

Linear

• One mile (1760 yards) = 1.609 kilometres

• One yard (3 feet) = 0.914 metres

• One foot (12 inches) = 30.48 centimetres

• One inch = 2.54 centimetres

Square measure

• One square mile (640 acres) = 2.589 square kilometers

• One acre (4840 square yards) = 0.404 hectares

• One square yard = 0.836 square metres

• One square foot = 929 square centimetres

Cubic (liquid) measure

• One gallon (4 quarts) = 4.546 litres

• One quart (2 pints) = 1.136 litres

• One pint = 0.568 litres

Cubic (material) measure

• One cubic yard = 0.764 cubic metres

• One cubic foot = 0.0283 cubic metres

• One cubic inch = 16.397 cubic centimetres

Weight

• One ton (2240 pounds) = 1016 kilogrammes

• One hundredweight (112 pounds) = 50.802 kilogrammes

• One pound (16 ounces) = 453 grammes

• One ounce = 28.35 grammes

– xx –

Horsepower

• One horsepower = 0.746 kilowatts

Temperature

• 32° Fahrenheit = 0° Celsius (freezing point)

• 212° Fahrenheit = 100° Celsius