MACHINERY INSPECTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 254, 24 October 1905, Page 4

MACHINERY INSPECTION.

(By Telegrsph,-Psm_menur-f Beportttf

WEI_LINGTON, this day.

The report of Robert Duncan, 'Chief Inspector of Machinery, engineer examiner and surveyor of steamers, and' examiner of marine engineers' and land engine drivers, was laid dn the tsblof the House of Representatives yesterday by the Hon. Hall-Jones, Minister of Marine. Mr Duncan refers "to •" toe " absence of any boiler explosion causing bodily injury during the past spite the fact that pressures: up'to; 4001b to the square inch are being used' in New Zealand. During the last -ten years 38,976 boiler inspections and 2517 steamer surveys have been'made;'and' only one boiler explosion has occurred during the whole of that time, causing the death of the attendant. It.was: proved that the attendant had mistaken the water-level in the gauge glass, and had allowed the water-level in the'boil"" er to get too low, thereby causing over* ■ heating the furnace which resulted •_-_"•"' the explosion. This explosion, occurred on March 4, 1897, at Waikanae. ' Mt-; Duncan says that boiler-making! firmsi in this colony have met the demand:' for better material and workioanshiß: required by these' high working'pres* • sures and have equipped their work- 1 ' shops with most up-to-date plant. He; instances the drilling of all-rivet holes(instead of punching, and says* the workmanship in this respect compates* favourably in every respect'to .-imported boilers. Last year, ended March* '31,' 5119 boilers were inspected and cer-r tificates issued for that number)* the: inspection occasioning a minimum 'of friction. The number of defects found was 848, the number of new boilers added to the Department's books dUV-: ing the year was 486, of a total h'orser power of 7588. Of these boilers; 186 were of local manufacture arid. 300 imported. During the year 786 gSs?' i engines and 344 oil-engines were inspected. The number of lifts ex&mmetl was 350 hoists, motors 208, and water motors 273. Special inspections .weremade' of machinery and 809 certificates issued for the same. This makes '» l grand total' of 2770 inspections chinery. In nearly all cases an. a-nuil survey has been made of-ships' and steamers, all parts of vessels j beM J _- opened up. Particular attention-WW paid to life-saving equipment and provisioning of boats; 47 special survey* for seaworthiness were made, 335_aur-. veys were made of 316 steamers and oilengine vessels, and 10 - surveys oi: "ships. *