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XXIV. WAR FUNDS. The number of registered funds under the War Funds Act, 1915, has, since last report, been reduced by two —the Trentham Scholarship Fund, by exhaustion of its funds, and the Yaldhurst Patriotic League by transfer to the Canterbury Patriotic League. The latest annual statements available show that the total funds in the possession of the fifty-four organizations amounted to £690,309 18s. Id., as compared with £671,590 9s. 2d. shown in the previous annual report. The increase is due to the realization of the Flock House properties by the New Zealand Sheepowners' Acknowledgment of Debt to British Seamen Fund. The funds are held as follows : — £ s. d. 26 incorporated societies .. .. .. .. .. 414 ,406 18 8 7 Red Cross organizations .. .. .. .. .. 88,478 15 0 3 blind soldiers or veterans'homes funds .. .. .. 66,909 1 9 11 unincorporated societies .. .. .. .. .. 7,772 19 1 6 returned soldiers' clubs .. .. .. .. .. 24,555 15 7 1 National War Funds Council .. .. .. .. 88,186 8 0 54 .. .. .. .. .. .. ..£690,309 18 1 Of this total, advances to soldiers represent approximately 15 per cent., land and buildings 20 per cent., and the remaining 65 per cent, consists of liquid assets. XXV. ADVERTISING OFFICE. The work of this Office is summarized under the following headings : — Accounts. —Advertising claims recorded, checked, and certified during the term numbered 13,749 as compared with 13,281 in the previous year. Expenditure. —The total expenditure recorded for Government advertising reached the figure of £34,682 13s. 7<i., an increase of £2,164 10s. 4d. over last year's amount. The increase was- due largely to the advertising necessary in connection with the general election. Cuttings. —Press-clippings services for Ministers and Departments dealt with an estimated average of 2,400 weekly. XXVI. EXPLOSIVES AND DANGEROUS GOODS. A. Explosives. Licenses. —Licenses covering the importation of the following quantities of explosives were issued during the year : Gelignite, 72,500 lb. ; polar gelignite, 787,850 lb. ; blasting-gelatine, nil; polar blasting-gelatine, 6,100 lb.; gelatine dynamite, 27,700 lb. ; polar gelatine dynamite, 32,150 lb. ; samsonite, nil: polar samsonite, 125,650 lb. ; A2 monobel, 265,050 lb. ; quarry monobel, 3,450 lb. ; polar quarry monobel, 1,8501b.; ligdyn, 5,0001b.; blasting-powder, 114,0001b.; blasting-pellets, 28,750 Ib.; sporting powder, 114,000 lb. ; sporting powder, 5,7501b.; detonators, 2,957,000; E.D. fuses, 870,000 ; safety fuse, 6,264,000 ft. ; fireworks, 126,235 lb. Other licenses were (corresponding figures for previous year in parentheses) : Conveyance, 207 (213); sale, 63-3 (637) ; storage, 421 (385). Examination of Explosives. —Routine examination of shipments of explosives imported into New Zealand has been carried out according to the usual practice. It is satisfactory to note that the physical condition of the explosives in these shipments has been consistently good. Low-freezing Ex/plosives.—Reports received during the year show that the experience with the " polar " or low-freezing explosives justifies the action taken two years ago in standardizing on this class of explosives for all purposes. Prior to their introduction it was necessary to heat many of the magazines, particularly those supplying the coal-mines, so that the magazines were kept above the freezing-point of nitro-glycerine. During the year under review arrangements were made for tests to be carried out on polar A2 monobel manufactured in Australia. The explosive passed the British test satisfactorily, and all " permitted " explosives in coal-mines are now of the polar type and are in future to be supplied from the Australian factory. Accidents. —For the second year in succession the accident record in connection with the manufacture, storage, and use of explosives has been exceptionally light. One fatal accident occurred in a factory in which explosive components of a "Sprengel " type explosive were prepared. The comparative freedom from accidents in the use of explosives has no doubt been contributed to largely by the elimination of the use of ordinary nitro-glycerine explosives, due to the complete adoption of the " polar " type. Chlorate Explosives. —In consequence of a serious tamping accident which occurred in Wellington in the use of Eruptite, a chlorate type of explosive, causing the death of two workmen, a conference of Quarry Inspectors and Public Works officials controlling the use of explosives was held to consider the circumstances of the accident and the general experience with this type of explosive. The decision reached at the conference was that the accident record of the chlorate explosive was not such as po justify restrictions on its use.

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