LXVII

H.—ll.

Marlborough Industrial District. Blenheim. Havelock. Picton. Seddon. Nelson Industrial District. Collingwood. Murchison. Takaka. Westland Industrial District. Brunnerton. Hokitika. Lyell. Ross. Denniston. Karamea. Okarito. Seddonville. Granity. Kumara. Canterbury Industrial District. Akaroa. Culverden. Lincoln. Rakaia. Amberley. Fairlie. Little River. Rangiora. Annat. Geraldine. Methven. Southbridge. Cheviot. Kaikoura. Oxford. Temuka. Coalgate. Leeston. Pleasant Point. Otago and Southland Industrial District. Alexandra South. Kaitangata. Orepuki. Roxburgh. Arrowtown. Kurow. Otautau. St. Bathan's. Balclutha. Lawrence. Outram. Tapanui. Clinton. Lumsden. Owaka. Waikaia. Clyde. Mataura. Palmerston South. Waikouaiti. Cromwell. Middlemarch". Pembroke. Waitahuna. Duntroon. Milton. Queenstown. Winton. Gore. Naseby. Riverton. Wyndham. Hampden. Ophir.

REPORTS FROM INSPECTORS OF SCAFFOLDING.

AUCKLAND. Sir, — Department of Labour, Auckland, 29th April, 1912. I have the honour to submit my report for the year ending 31st March, 1912. The Scaffolding Inspection Act has worked very satisfactorily, although one has to be continually on the scene to see that the regulations are strictly carried out. The building trade, like all other trades, has been exceedingly busy throughout the year. Many large buildings have been completed during the last twelve months, and several are now commencing which will run well into next spring. Visits of inspection have been paid to most of the country districts from which notices have been received. Since the beginning of the year 398 notices of intention to erect scaffolding have been received; 944 visits have been paid to scaffoldings exceeding 16 ft. high in my district, besides many others under that height. Prosecutions. For failing to send the necessary notice of their intention to erect scaffolding exceeding 16 ft. in height, 12 employers were proceeded against, and were convicted and fined in each case. For failing to report accidents, proceedings were taken in 3 instances; one case was dismissed, and in the other two fines were imposed. The total amount of penalties and costs amounted to £24 Os. 6d. Nineteen letters of warning were sent to contractors. These were chiefly men who had just started in business, and had not obtained forms and regulations. Accidents. Sixty-nine accidents were reported under the Act as having occurred on buildings in course of erection or structural alteration, 2 of which proved fatal; in one case an employee was assisting to lay a stone, when the stone overbalanced, and the employee fell with the stone to the ground, a distance of 60 ft.; the other happened during the demolishing of a building, when a large case fell on the employee, killing him instantly. Tw-o were cases of broken limbs, and the remainder were cuts and bruises. Eight scaffoldings were condemned as unsafe, or not in accordance with the regulations, and were altered or reconstructed. Many ladders and trestles had also to be condemned or repaired.