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Session 11. 1906. NEW ZEALAND.

INSPECTION OF MACHINERY: ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT FOR 1905-6.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

The Hon. the Minister in Charge of the Inspection of Machinery Department to His Excellency the Governor. My Lord, — Inspection of Machinery Department, Wellington, Ist June, 1906. I do myself the honour to transmit herewith, for your Excellency's information, the report of the Inspection of Machinery Department of the colony for the financial year ended the 31st March last. I have, &c, Wm. Hall-Jones, His Excellency, the Minister in Charge of the Inspection of Eight Hon. Lord Plunket, K.C.V.0., Machinery Department. Governor of New Zealand.

The Chief Inspector of Machinery to the Hon. the Minister in Chargf, of the Inspection of Machinery Department. Sir, — Inspection of Machinery Department, Customhouse Buildings, Ist June, 1906. I have the honour to submit herewith the annual report on the operations of the Inspection of Machinery Department during the twelve months which ended on the 31st March, 1906. Boilers Inspected. During the past year 5,211 steam-boilers have been thoroughly examined, and certificates duly issued for them. This number is in excess of the number examined during the previous year with" the same staff. All parts of New Zealand have been visited by the Inspectors, to overtake the work of inspections, and the Inspectors engaged in this arduous portion of their work often perform their duties under very trying conditions. There are several boilers still overdue for inspection, but I am in hope of the arrears being completely pulled up by the end of another year. In each succeding year new settlement districts are extending, and in such districts new machinery is introduced, so that the time occupied with the inspections in a district this year is no criterion of the time required to complete the inspections in such district during the succeeding year. I can bear testimony, however, to the zeal displayed generally by the staff in their endeavours to cope with the work in the several districts. All the different classes of machinery in connection with these steam installations have been thoroughly examined at these annual inspections. Government Boilers. There have been fifty-eight boilers examined during the year at the following Government institutions and works throughout the colony—namely, mental hospitals, defences, coal-hulks, hospitals, collieries, workshops, Public Works Department, and experimental farms. In addition to these boilers there have also been inspected twelve lifts, four Pelton wheels, one gas-engine, and three oil-engines ; and certificates were issued for all these boilers and machinery without any fee being charged. Beturn No. 1 gives full particulars respecting the power of boilers and classes of machinery, together with the fees for these inspections.

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