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The Special Polls On the 9th March, 1949, polls were taken in all electorates on the "off-course betting " question under the Gaming Poll Act, 1948, and on the " liquor hours " issue under the Licensing Amendment Act, 1948. Simultaneously therewith, the special local licensing polls were taken in the Ashburton, Geraldine, and King-country areas. Valid votes polled on the two general issues amounted to 56 per cent, of the number of electors enrolled. Returns of votes polled and declarations of the results of these several polls were gazetted on the 31st March, 1949. Maori Rolls Assisted by the Welfare Officers of the MaOri Affairs Department in the enrolment of Maoris eligible to register as electors, good progress has been made in the preparation of Maori rolls for use at future parliamentary elections. The roll-preparation work is being carried out in the Chief Electoral Office, and up to the 31st March, 1949, over 26,000 enrolments had been recorded. XV. EXPLOSIVES AND DANGEROUS GOODS Licences The following licences were issued during the year : Importation of Explosives. —Polar gelignite, 786,600 lb. ; polar gelatine dynamite, 30,350 lb. ; polar ajax, 119,500 lb. ; polar quarry monobel, 230,000 lb. ; polar A2 monobel, 959,350 lb. ; blasting-powder, 117,500 lb. ; sportingpowder, 42,950 lb.; plain detonators, 1,360,000 ; E.D. fuses, 565,850 ; safety-fuse, 11,304 lb. ; fireworks, 67,675 lb. Other licences issued during the year were : Conveyance, 181; sale,. 552 ; storage, 471. Dangerous Goods. —During the year, 2,328 licences were issued, as against 2,287 for the previous year. Cinematograph Films. —Licences issued under the Cinematograph Films Act for the year ended 30th September, 1948, were as follows : Exhibitors', 561 (465) ; itinerant exhibitors', 25 (23); renters', 17 (19) ; storage, 12 (14); miscellaneous, 7 (17). The figures in parentheses are, the corresponding ones for the previous year. Re organization of Branch A small amount of the explosives-testing equipment referred to in the last annual report has come to hand, but great difficulty is being experienced in securing delivery dates within a reasonable period. In most cases it has not been possible to secure a better delivery date than twelve months from time of placing of the order. Fire-testing Station Some progress on this proposal has been made during the year under review. Final plans mutually satisfactory to the parties concerned have been approved and tenders called for.

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