A.—2

30

A-1, 1912, No. 31.

2. I shall be glad if your Ministers would take such steps as may seem desirable to make the competition and conditions of entry known in New Zealand. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor the Right Hon. Lord Islington, K.C.M.G., D.5.0., &c. Enclosures. Sir,— Home Office, Whitehall, 29th May, 1911. I am directed by Mr. Secretary Churchill to acquaint you, for the information of Mr. Secretary Harcourt, that in order to encourage the production of safe and efficient types of electric lamps for miners, a colliery-proprietor has placed at his disposal the sum of £1,000 to be offered as a prize for the best lamp or lamps fulfilling certain specified requirements, and that he desires, in view of the importance of the subject, to make this offer known to all persons and societies likely to be interested. The competition will be open to all persons, and Mr. Churchill would be glad, therefore, if Mr. Secretary Harcourt would cause communications to be addressed to the Governments of the self-governing colonies enclosing copies of the notice within, which contains the conditions of the competition, and asking their assistance in making the competition and the conditions of entry known to the widest possible extent in their respective countries by notices in the technical Press and otherwise. I am, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. E. Blackwell. Electric Lamps for Miners. The Secretary of State for the Home Department announces that, in order to encourage the production of safe and efficient types of electric lamps for miners, a colliery-proprietor has placed at his disposal the sum of £1,000 to be offered as a prize for the best lamp or lamps fulfilling the requirements specified below. Mr. Charles Rhodes (a former President of the Institute of Mining Engineers) and Mr. Charles H. Merz (a member of the Departmental Committee on the Use of Electricity in Mines) have consented to act as judges. The conditions of the competition are as follows :— (1.) The competition will be open to persons of any nationality. (2.) It will be in the discretion of the judges to award the whole of the prize for the lamp which they consider to be the best, or to divide the prize, or to make no award if no lamp appears to them to be of sufficient merit. (3.) Lamps must be addressed care of C. Rhodes, Esq., at the Home Office Testing Station, Rotherham, and must reach the testing station not later than the 31st December next; a spare globe should accompany each lamp. The requirements which should be fulfilled by any lamps submitted for competition are as follows :— (1.) The lamp should be of sound mechanical construction, so as to withstand rough usage. (2.) The lamp should be of simple construction and easy to maintain in good order and repair. (3.) The lamp should be so constructed as to render impossible the ignition of inflammable gas either within or without the lamp. (4.) The lamp battery should be so constructed that any liquid which it may contain cannot be spilled when the lamp is in use, and means should be provided for dealing with any gas which may be generated by the battery. (5.) The materials used and the construction should be such that metals and other parts will not be liable to deterioration by corrosion as a result of the action of the electrolyte, &c, used in the battery. (6.) The lamp should be effectively locked, so that it cannot be opened without detection. (7.) The lamp should be capable of giving an amount of light, not less than 2 candle-power, continuously for a period of not less than ten hours. (8.) The light should be well distributed outside the lamp. A movable reflector to concentrate or to shield the light may be provided. In addition to the above requirements, regard will he paid to— (a) The first cost of the lamp, (6) the cost of maintenance, (c) convenience in handling,|and (d) the weightTof the lamp when charged and ready for use. Home Omce. r 26th"May/;i911. No. 40. New Zealand, No. 196. My Lord,— Downing Street, Bth June, 1911. I have the honour to request that you will inform your Ministers that c Larxlg Commissioners of the Admiralty are anxious that notifications of hydrographic changes in ports in the overseas dominions should be sent with the least possible delay to the Hydrographic Department of the Admiralty, in order that

Enclosures. Sir,— Home Office, Whitehall, 29th May, 1911. I am directed by Mr. Secretary Churchill to acquaint you, for the information of Mr. Secretary Harcourt, that in order to encourage the production of safe and efficient types of electric lamps for miners, a colliery-proprietor has placed at his disposal the sum of £1,000 to be offered as a prize for the best lamp or lamps fulfilling certain specified requirements, and that he desires, in view of the importance of the subject, to make this offer known to all persons and societies likely to be interested. The competition will be open to all persons, and Mr. Churchill would be glad, therefore, if Mr. Secretary Harcourt would cause communications to be addressed to the Governments of the self-governing colonies enclosing copies of the notice within, which contains the conditions of the competition, and asking their assistance in making the competition and the conditions of entry known to the widest possible extent in their respective countries by notices in the technical Press and otherwise. I am, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. E. Blackwell.

Electric Lamps foe Miners. The Secretary of State for the Home Department announces that, in order to encourage the production of safe and efficient types of electric lamps for miners, a colliery-proprietor has placed at Ms disposal the sum of £1,000 to be offered as a prize for the best lamp or lamps fulfilling the requirements specified below. Mr. Charles Khodes (a former President of the Institute of Mining Engineers) and Mr. Charles H. Merz (a member of the Departmental Committee on the Use of Electricity in Mines) have consented to act as judges. The conditions of the competition are as follows : — (1.) The competition will be open to persons of any nationality. (2.) It will be in the discretion of the judges to award the whole of the prize for the lamp which they consider to be the best, or to divide the prize, or to make no award if no lamp appears to them to be of sufficient merit. (3.) Lamps must be addressed care of C. Rhodes, Esq., at the Home Office Testing Station, Rotherham, and must reach the testing station not later than the 31st December next; a spare globe should accompany each lamp. The requirements which should be fulfilled by any lamps submitted for competition are as follows :— (1.) The lamp should be of sound mechanical construction, so as to withstand rough usage. (2.) The lamp should be of simple construction and easy to maintain in good order and repair. (3.) The lamp should be so constructed as to render impossible the ignition of inflammable gas either within or without the lamp. (4.) The lamp battery should be so constructed that any liquid which it may contain cannot be spilled when the lamp is in use, and means should be provided for dealing with any gas which may be generated by the battery. (5.) The materials used and the construction should be such that metals and other parts will not be liable to deterioration by corrosion as a result of the action of the electrolyte, &c, used in the battery. (6.) The lamp should be effectively locked, so that it cannot be opened without detection. (7.) The lamp should be capable of giving an amount of light, not less than 2 candle-power, continuously for a period of not less than ten hours. (8.) The light should be well distributed outside the lamp. A movable reflector to concentrate or to shield the light may be provided. In addition to the above requirements, regard will "be paid to — (a) The first cost of the lamp, (b) the cost of maintenance, (c) convenience in handling,|and (d) the the lamp when charged and ready for use. Home Office, ir 26th , 'May/'l9ll.

No. 40. New Zealand, No. 196. My Lord, — Downing Street, Bth June, 1911. I have the honour to request that you will inform your Ministers that the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty are anxious that notifications of hydrographic changes in ports in the overseas dominions should be sent with the least possible delay to the Hydrographic Department of the Admiralty, in order that