H.—22

14

Plunket Society.- Tim number of analyses made for the Plunket nurse's was 121. Post and Telegraph. —The; Engineering Branch of the Post and Telegraph Department forwarde;el samples of various supplies for examination. These included beeswax, copying-ink, distilled water, gear-oil, insulating and lubricating oil, jointer's metal, leael sleeves, petroleum-jelly, paraffin-wax, rectified spirit, silver-alloy, solder, Stockholm tar, sulphuric acid, and switchboard, cable. Public Works. —Samples analysed for the Public Works Department comprised, bitumen, coal, galvanized, steel, Muntz metal, roofing-material, and septic-tank effluent. Railways. —The Railways Department required analyses of boiler and potable waters, el(;oeiorizer, gas-tar, lubricating-oil, red-oxide; paint, tarpaulin-dressing, and turpentine. Stores Control. —The Laboratory staff has realized for some years that considerable advantage; wemlel accrue to purchasing Departments by defining by specification, where possible, the quality of goods required, and by testing samples submitted with tenders and goods actually supplied. The recently constituted Stores Control Board, is fully aware of the advantages of analytical examination in many cases, and have availed themselves of the services of the Laboratory. Purchases examined were cloth, castor-oil, ink, kerosene, lubricants, motor-spirit, soap, and typewriter ribbon. Specifications were also framed for various grades of motor-fuel and kerosene. Other Departments.- Analyses we;re; made for other Departments—of sand for glassmaking, for the; Department of Industries and Commerce ; kauri-gum, for the Kauri-gum Superintendent; creosote and insulated wire, for a Power Board ; lubricating-oils, for the Government Printer; carbon tetrachloride, used in the treatment of hookworm, for the Samoan Aelministration ; and steaming li(|uid, for the State Forest Service. In addition various members of the staff have acted in an aelvisory capacity to other Departments when matters involving chemical knowledge or experience were under consideration, , Explosive and Dangerous Goods Acts. Report on the Administration of the Explosive and Dangerous Goods Act, 1908, from the Ist July, 1923, to the 30th June, 1924, and the Explosive and Dangerous Goods Amendment Act, 1920, from the Ist April, 1923, to the 31st March, 1924. EXPLOSIVE AND DANGEROUS GOODS ACT, 1008. Amendments to Regulations.— -Amendments to the regulations under the Ae;t were; passed during the year, authorizing the following explosives : Lithyte ; Samsonite No. 3. Importations. —Lioenses were issued for the importation of the following explosives during the year: Gelignite, 765,0001b. ; gelatine dynamite, 35,0001b. ; blasting-gelatine;, 39,0001b. ;A2 monoDel, 319,250 lb. ; quarry monobel, 25,000 lb. ; Samsonite No. 3, 78,000 lb. ; 60 per cent, gelatine (S.N. gelignite), 39,700 lb. ; blasting-powder (gr. and pel.), 333,7501b. ; sporting-powder, 10,4371b. : total, 1,645,137. Detonators (plain), 1,650,000; detonators (electric), 487,000 : total, 2,137,000. Fireworks (packages), 2,988. Manufacture. —The only factory licensed for the manufacture of e;xplosives was the Colonial Ammunition Company's small-arms ammunition factory at Mount Eden, Auckland. Accidents. —No accieients occurred during the year in connectiem with the storage or conveyance, of explosives. Prosecutions. —No prosecutions we;re taken during the year. Warnings were given in a number of cases for minor breaches of the Act and regulations. Condemned Explosives. —The following explosives were condemned and destroyed during the year :—

Licenses. —The number of licenses issued for the year is shown below. The corresponding figures for the previous year being given in brackets. Conveyance, 268 (287) ; storage, 337 (311) ; sale, 652 (587). Public Magazines. —Government magazines are now available, at Wellington, Westport, Greymouth, Dunedin, and Invercargill, and in addition the local authorities at Paeroa and New Plymouth maintain magazines. The new magazine building at Wingatui, referred to in the last annual report, has been completed, and will be; taken over from the Public Works Department early in July. A new magazine has also been erected at Invercargill, and this will be ready for use early in July. During the year it was found necessary to rebuild the floor of the magazine in the harbour at Port Chalmers. The storage position in the southern districts is now satisfactory.

Place. Quantity and Kind of Explosive. Reason for condemning. How destroyed. Taihape .. Okahukura 45 lb. gelignite, 50 per cent. (S.N.) .. ("2501b. sabulite .. .. 1 J 3,428 lb. carbonite .. I "> 248J- lb. blasting-powder .. lb. dynamite .. J 670 electric detonators 6,200 lb. blasting-powder (S.N.) Moisture-absorption Exudation and moistureabsorption Burned. f Dumped in river. J Burned. I Dumped in river. [_ Burned. Dumped at sea. Wingatui .. Wellington Insulation perished Moisture-absorption ?>