H.—l6a.

3

The following table shows the number and horse-power of these boilers, and the districts to which they have gone: —

Amongst those made in the Dominion were two large boilers of the Lancashire type of the following dimensions : Length, 30 ft.; diameter, 8 ft.; and weighing about 30 tons. These boilers were made by two different firms in Wellington, and were subject to very close inspection during the time they were under construction. All the holes were drilled, and the riveting done by hydraulic pressure. The test of both proved highly satisfactory, and both boilers are quite a credit to the workmanship of the Dominion. They now form part of the boiler-installation at the Wellington Tramway power-station. Gas- and Water-driven Machinery, Lifts, and Machinery Inspections. During the year the total number of inspections of machinery made was 5,233. 1,471 gasengines were inspected, and 1,263 oil-engines. The number of lifts and motors examined, including water and electric motors, was 2,155 ; machinery-inspections, 344. Fencing of Machinery. Great care has been exercised throughout the year with the fencing of machinery in motion. Return No. 4 gives full particulars of the guarding done. Examination op Engine-drivers. These examinations have been conducted at places where required by the Examiners of the Department. A greater percentage of failures of the candidates who sat took place this year than in former years. The oral portion of the examinations has been made more difficult, necessitated by the more complicated nature of engines and the higher pressure of boilers now in use. The former issue of the book of regulations having nearly run out, the Department decided towards the end of the year to revise the former regulations and the syllabuses for the different examinations. The regulations since their first issue in 1901 have been little altered. The new regulations are now in the printer's hands, and will be issued shortly. It is proposed to revise the examination-papers for the extra first-class engineer and the firstclass engine-driver. The Board of Examiners for Engine-drivers sat on ten occasions at Wellington to deal with the granting of certificates to the successful candidates, and to consider the proposed new regulations and the examination-papers. Examinations have been conducted at the following places during the year: Alexandra South, Aratapu, Auckland,* Blenheim, Carterton, Christchurch,* Cromwell,* Dunedin,* Gisborne, Greymouth,* Hamilton,* Havelock, Invercargill,* Mangorei, Maungaturoto, Napier,* Nelson,* Opotiki, Palmerston North,* Reefton,* Shannon, Timaru,* Tokatoka, Waikawa, Wanganui,* Wellington,* Westport,* Whangarei, and Whitianga. This year 847 candidates came up for examination, of whom 535 passed, and 312 failed to pass the examination. The different classes for which examinations were held were—extra first-class engineer, first-class engine-driver, second-class engine-driver, winding-engine driver, and locomotive and traction engine driver. Detailed lists of those who passed for these examinations, together with the grades and clashes of examinations, are shown in Returns Nos. 7 to 13. Accidents. . It is gratifying to be able to report that there has been no boiler-explosion during the year. On looking over the latest return published by the Board of Trade re the boiler-explosions in Great Britain for the year ended 30th June, 1907, I find that there were seventy-seven explosions,

* Plaoea at which examinations have been held more than onoe during the year.

Colonial. Imported. Toi ial. District. Number. Horsepower. ■kt l HorseNumber. power Number. Horsepower. Auckland ... Auckland South Hawke's Bay Taranaki Wellington North Wellington . . Marlborough Nelson North Nelson South Westland Canterbury Canterbury South Otago Southland ... 58 21 18 22 7 40 2 5 7 11 17 8 17 8 780 2761 203 264J 751 5431 32 53 76 173 128| 14 1554 85 43 14 20 5 2 23 6 1 5 9 9 9 17 12 1,713 791 283" 34 16 185J 72 24 376 1321 94 363 87 128 101 35 38 27 9 63 8 6 12 20 26 12 34 20 2,493 356 486 2981 91£ 728f 104 77 452 3051 2221 377 2421 213 Totals ... 236 2,8594 175 3.587J 411 6,447