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Return of Accidents to Life and Limb which have occurred in connection with Machinery in the Wellington District during the Financial Year ended the 31st March, 1891.

Return of Boilers in the Wellington District Inspected during the Financial Year ended the 31st March, 1891, the Certificates for which have been issued without charge. Telegraph Department: Oue boiler over 10 h.p. Prisons Department: One boiler over 10 h.p. Lunatic Asylum : Two boilers over 5 h.p. Defence Department: One boiler over 10 h.p. and two over 5 h.p. Government Printer : Two boilers over 10 h.p.

The Inspector of Machinery, Canterbury District, to the Assistant Secretary, Marine Department. Sin,— Christchurch, 25th April, 1891. I have the honour to forward herewith annual reports of boilers and machinery inspected by me in the Canterbury District during the financial year ended the 31st March, 1891, in the same form as previously. I regret having to report three accidents of a serious nature, all having occurred in flax-mills, but am thankful none were fatal; neither can they be attributed to defective inspection. There has not been any accident with scutching-machines in my district during the year; the safety-mouth-piece introduced here has proved a complete success, and I am compelling owners to use them. I regret to say there is little or no improvement in the working of traction-engines. Many of the owners are good and careful drivers themselves, but many of the hired drivers are far from being careful. These engines and boilers are strongly made, but are very difficult to inspect as at present constructed. Some I have had altered here ; and some of the makers have made better provision for inspection in those lately imported. In the manufacturing of new boilers, not having any means of testing-plates and bars has been felt to be a great want. I have now the pleasure to say that before long that want will be supplied, as a machine of the most modern construction is being imported for use in connection with the School of Engineering, Canterbury College, and I am informed testing will be conducted there at any time. The tables in connection with annual reports will supply the usual amount of information, should more be required I slyjJl be happy to supply the same. I have, &c, The Secretary, Marine Department, Wellington. George Croll.

i ]-'atal or not. Cauao of Accident and Remarks. Name and Address of Pwnors. Description of of Machinery. Name of Person injured. Nature of Accident. ames burg Batten-Flax-mill Thomas Thompson Ann crushed Not .. This accident was caused by the arm being drawn into the scutcher along with the fibre that was being scutched. Some loose ends of the hank had got entangled about his feet, and in disengaging it he tried to hold the hank with one hand; the strain, however, had been too much for him, and his arm was drawn in and severely crushed, having to be amputated above the elbow. This accident was caused by the lad's hand in some unexplained manner being drawn into the space between the rollers of the machine ; three fingers and the thumb have since been amputated. The machine is protected as far as possible. It is not clear how this accident was caused, the manager of the works describing it as caused by leaning on the machine. It is supposed (no one having actually seen the accident take place) that the ladder by which the deceased was descending from the travelling-crane had slipped, causing him to clutch at the driving-rope, which seems to have thrown him with great force against a parting wall of the building, death resulting in about half an hour. 'he Wellington Biscuit and Confectionery Company, Wellington Biscuit-rollers Robert Steed .. Hand crushed .. Not .. 'he New Zealand Antimony Company (Limited), Endeavour Inlet V. Cable and Co., engineers, Wellington Frederick Luxford Broken arm Crushing - machine Not .. Travelling-crane James MeKenzie Injury to the head Fatal