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Return of Notices given to Fence Dangerous Parts of Machinery in the Auckland District during the Financial Year ended the 31st March, 1891.

The Inspector of Machineby, Wellington Disteict, to the Assistant Seceetaey, Marine Department. Sic, — Office of Inspector of Machinery, Wellington, 18th July, 1891. I have the honour to forward for your information the annual report on the boilers and machinery in the Wellington, Marlborough, Nelson North, Taranaki, Hawke's Bay, Nelson South, and Westland Districts for the financial year ended the 31st March, 1891. During the above period 916 boiler-inspections and 838 machinery-inspections have been made. Included in the above numbers are 354 boiler- and 318 machinery-inspections made by Mr. Mowatt, and 122 boiler- and 108 machinery-inspections by Mr. Duncan. Seventy-one fresh boilers have been added during the year —23 of which have been made in the colony, 36 new ones have been imported, and 12 are from other districts. A large number of flax-mill boilers that were at work last year are now idle, owing to the low prices ruling for that fibre. Eepairs have been effected and new mountings fitted in connection with 48 boilers. There have been 29 notices given to fence dangerous parts of machiney. In most cases this work has been done while the Inspector was on the ground. Four accidents have been reported to me during the year to persons engaged about machinery, one of which was, unfortunately, of a fatal nature, and purely accidental. Another accident by which a man lost his arm above the elbow took place at a flax-mill where he was employed scutching :he acknowledges that carelessness on his part was the cause of the accident. A lad working at a steam-bakery also met with an accident by which he lost three fingers and a thumb. The machine at which this accident "occurred is well fenced except where the unfortunate lad got his fingers between the rollers, a part that cannot be fenced if the machine is to do its work. The fourth accident, by which a man had his arm broken, the manager reports, was caused by the man leaning on one of the crushing-machines at the works.

;e o: ;ice. Description of Mac 'esenp ;ion o: .ao. .cmnery. Parts of Machinery to be fenced, &c. 1890. April 3 May 17 May 21 May 24 Hydraulic lift Saw-mill ... Brick-works Flax-mill ... The chain to be annealed. Goose-saw and emery wheel. Two pairs of wheels of brick-making machine. Opening in scutcher reduced to l^in. in width, and two pain of wheels of two strippers. Hood to be fitted to top of lift. Hood to be fitted to top of lift. Engine-driving belt. Two belts and feed-rollers of two strippers, and engine-belt. Belt and connecting-rod of breaking-down saw, and belt dragbench. Belt of circular saw and connecting-rod of breaking-down. Two belts of planing-machin.es, feed-gear of gang-saw, and fly-wheel of breaking-down. Scutcher-belt and pulleys. New steel wire-rope to be fitted. Two belts of deal frames, one belt of circular-saw No. 1, and one belt of jigger No. 2. Belt of log-winch, belt of emery-wheel, and one pair of bevelwheels. Engine fly-wheel, couplings on main- and intermediate shafts, and belts of circular-saw and emery-wheel. The chain to be annealed. Belt of circular-saw, belt of fan-blast, and grinding-stone. Guard fixed over beaters of stripper, and opening in scutcher reduced to ljin. in width. Spur and pinion-wheel of break-gear, and belt of drag-bench. Guards to be fixed over three pairs of wheels of brick-making machine. Water-wheel to be fenced in, and opening in scutcher reduced to ljin. in width. Water-wheel and driving-pulley and belt of scutcher fenced in. May 9 May 14 June 6 June 20 June 20 Hydraulic lift Hydraulic lift Drag-bench Flax-mill ... Saw-mill ... June 7 June 21 Saw-mill ... Saw-mill ... July 29 Aug. 11 Aug. 25 Flax-mill ... Gas-lift ... Saw-mill ... Aug. 26 Saw-mill ... Aug. 28 Saw-mill ... Oct. 9 Oct. 13 Oct. 15 Hydraulic lift Coach-factory Flax-mill ... Nov. 17 Nov. 25 Saw-mill ... Brick-works Nov. 28 Flax-mill ... Nov. 28 1891. Jan. 12 Flax-mill ... Tannery ... Pair of wheels of hide-splitting machine and belt of barkJan. 26 Feb. 16 Mar. 26 Flax-mill ... Saw-mill ... Flour-mill squeezer. Two belts of stripper and main driving-belt. Belt of gulleting-machine, and belt of log-winch. Main driving-belt, twelve-roller belt, and counter-shaft.