5.—29

26

Return of Notices given to Repair Boilers— continued.

The Inspectob of Machineey, Canteebuey Disteict, to the Secbetaey, Marine Depamentrt. Sib,— Christchurch, 13th April, 1892. I have the honour to forward annual report of boilers and machinery inspected by me in the Canterbury District during the financial year ended the 31st March, 1892, which contains all particulars in the same form as usual. The number of inspections and amount of fees are nearly the same as last year, but there are a small number of boilers I have not been able to inspect for want of time; also some small boilers used only for chaff-cutting for about six months in the year I have been obliged to pass, in order to get time for the more important inspections of those used for threshing. Besides my ordinary surveys of local steamers, much of my time has been taken up with marine work such as the repairs to the s.s. "Industry" and the s.s. "Duke of Buckingham," both of which required extensive repairs. I regret having so many accidents to report for the year. In the case of George Knapp, the owner of mill states he had all protected, but the protection to end of shaft had been removed by Knapp himself, This mill is now used only as a flour-mill. During the year, 51 new boilers have been inspected for the first time ; 35 of these, equal to 254--horse power, are imported boilers, and 16 boilers, equal to 156-horse power, are colonial-made. Of the imported bcilers 27 are traction-engines, and are used for threshing. The makers of these engines are increasing in number. The engines and boilers are mostly strongly and carefully constructed, but I regret to say comparatively few of the owners take any care of them, and trust them in the hands of drivers totally incompetent. There have been no collapses of furnaces during the year, showing that the precautions taken to prevent such accidents have been successful. Should any further information be required I shall be happy to supply it. I have, &c, Geoege Ceoll, The Secretary, Marine Department, Wellington. Inspector of Machinery.

listrict and Da: of Notice. ;e 'esonption o: Boiler. Written or Verbal Notice. Nature of Repairs ordered. 1891. Nelson South. May 11 ... Four additional girders and stays on combustion chamber. Combustion chamber girders renewed. Marine type Written ... May 20 ... Cylindrical tubular Cornish Water tube Portable Written ... June • i ... June 4 June 15 ... Written ... Verbal Written ... New furnace-crown. New neck-tubes. New man-hole door. Nelson Nobth. October 1 ... October 2 ... October 16 November 5 ... November 5 ... November 3 October 8 ... Vertical Vertical Cornish Multi-tubular ... Cornish Cornish Multi-tubular ... Written ... Written ... Written ... Written ... Verbal ... Written ... Verbal ... Bottom of shell repaired. New dog for man-hole door. Patches on front plate for blow-off and mud-door. Compensating-ring round man-hole. Crack in furnace repaired. New gauge-mountings fitted. New patch on shell over the lire. Westland. May 25 ... May 25 ... May ■ -25 ... June 25 ... Portable Multi-tubular ... Portable Vertical tubular Verbal ... Verbal Written ... Written ... To be retubed. To be retubed. Two additional dog-stays on crown of furnace. New fire-box, and bottom of shell renewed. Taeanaki. November 12 ... November 20 Portable Multi-tubular ... Verbal ... Verbal New studs in blow-off cock gland. The corroded part of plate round mud-hole cut away and new door fitted. New plate top of shell, patch in fire-box, and new fusible plug. Skirt of fire-box and shell of boiler sheathed. One new tube- fitted and the others made tight. New longitudinal stay in steam-space, and handhole cut. New doubling-plate round opening of man-hole New spring-balance to be fitted. November 24 Portable Written ... November 24 ... November 26 ... December 12 Vertical Multi-tubular ... Portable Written ... Written ... Verbal ... December 17 ... December 18 Multi-tubular ... Portable Verbal ... Written ..