3

H.—lsa

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

Gas- and Water-driven Machinery, Lifts, and Machinery Inspections. The oil-engine, is being rapidly introduced as a power, especially in country and remote districts. and is superseding the steam-engine where the work is of an intermittent nature and scattered over a wide area. It is used in farm-work especially for many power purposes, and in the hands of careful attendants the results are very satisfactory, as it can be used at a moment's notice, and is in a portable form. The lifts have been carefully inspected, and in some of the passenger-lifts where the speeds are high very close and detailed inspections were made. In forty-eight cases new ropes were ordered, in seventeen new chains, and in twenty-one the chains were ordered to be annealed. During the year a total of 6,123 inspections were made, including 1,489 gas-engines and 1.717 oil-engines. The number of lifts and motors examined, including water and electric motors, was 2,782, also 135 steam-machinery inspections. Fencing of Machinery. The guarding of machinery in motion has been very carefully looked to during the year, and in every case where guarding had to be enforced no objection or trouble has anseu with any owner. It is difficult to provide protection from danger in the case of every machine or appliance, but guarding is provided so far as this can be done without impairing the efficiency of the machinery. Return No. 4 gives full particulars of the guarding done. Examination of Land Engineers and Engine-drivers. Examinations have been held at the following places during the year : Auckland.* Alexandra,* Balclutha, Christchurch,* Cromwell,* Dunedin,* Eketahuna, Gisborne,* Greymouth,* Hamilton,* llavelock. Invercargill.* Karamea, Kawakawa. Napier,* Nelson,* Paeroa. Palmerston North,* Pongaroa, Timaru,* Waihi. WanganuL* Wellington.* Westport, and Whangarei. Seventeen candidates sat for the extra first-class engineer's certificates, and fourteen of them passed ; 132 sat for the first-class engine-driver's certificate, sixty-four of whom passed ; 209 sat for the second-class engine-driver's certificate, and 146 passed ; thirty sat for the winding-engine driver's certificate, and twenty-five passed ; 211 sat for the locomotive-and traction-engine driver's certificate, and 151 passed. The total number of candidates who sat for examination was 599. The Board of Examiners sat six times during the year at Wellington. Reciprocal certificates were issued to applicants who held certificates from other States as follows : Victoria, 7 ; New South Wales. 1 ; Western Australia. 2 ; Tasmania, 3 ; Queensland. 2 ; and Canada, 4. Returns Nos. 7 to 12, inclusive, give full particulars of those who passed these examinations, together with the different grades and classes of examination. Accidents. It is pleasant to be able to report that no boiler-explosion has occurred during the year, and the Department certainly takes some of the credit for I his. During the twenty-one years that 1 have been connected with the Department only two boiler-explosions, so far as I know, have occurred. One explosion occurred at a sawmill al Waikauae, and the other at a sawmill at Kumara. In each

'- Places al which examinations have been held more than once during the year.

Local. Imported. Total. mportei Total. District. Auckland ... Auckland Souiii Hawke's Bay Taranaki Wellington North Wellington . . Marlborough Nelson North Nelson South Westland Canterbury Canterbury South Otago Southland ... N«mbe, *£ Number. f™'. dumber. »£ —- j 50 714* 30 902f 80 1,617* 19 33H ti 27 25 358| 16 89" 18 293i 34 382| 19 138 2 14 21 152' 15 295 12 192 27 487 50 11 161 6i &20i 6 38i ... ... 6 38| 25 57 13 159 38 516 3 139 3 28 6 167 10 130-1- 4" 254 14 155,' 49 259£ 19 338" 68 5974 24 149* 10 83 34 232-i 54 114J 19 70 73 1841 43 421 13 99 56 520" Totals ... 1 . 383 3,336* 160 2,692| 543 6,029^2,692; 543 6.029J- ,