M.-15

The book of regulations for these examinations was reprinted during the year. By the Inspection of Machinery Amendment Act, 191.4, a candidate will, from the Ist April, 1915, be able to sit for either the locomotive or the traction certificate separately, or he can sit as in previous years for the full traction and locomotive certificate. The total number who sat for these examinations was 547 ; of this number 133 failed. Examination of Electric-tram Drivers. Examinations for this certificate were held at Auckland,* Napier,* Wanganui,* Wellington,* Christchuroh,* Dunedin,* and Invercargill.* The numbers who sat for examination total eighty ; of this 11 umber eight failed. Board of Examiners. The Board of Examiners, consisting of the Chief Inspector of Machinery of the Marine and Inspection of Machinery Department, the Inspecting Engineer of the Mines Department, the Engineer-in-Chief, and the Electrical Engineer of the Public Works Department, with Mr. J. G. M'acpherson as Secretary, sat in Wellington on thirteen days to issue certificates to candidates, and for other business with which the Board deals. Inspection of Gas, Oil, Water, and Electric-driven Machinery, including Lifts. Of this class of machinery there are still a number of inspections yet to be made, notwithstanding the fact that two thousand more inspections have been made this year than in any previous year. Oil-engines have been so perfected and cheapened that they are now within the reach of any one desiring a useful and an easily applied power. The machinery inspections this year total 11,053. Of this number, 1,650 were gas-engines, 4,870 oil-engines, 4,516 electric and other lifts and motors (which include water and electric motors), and .17 steam machinery. In Christchuroh the use of electric power is becoming general since the power generated at Lake Coleridge has been available. The electric motor takes up little room, and the power is easily applied. It can. be used at any time and for any purpose where power only is required for driving purposes. Fencing of Machinery and Accidents with Machinery. The fencing of machinery has received special attention this year. Some 784 notices have been given to owners to protect dangerous parts of machinery. The fencing of machinery tends to minimize the danger in connection with moving machinery, but no mechanical means can altogether take the place of the human element. Accidents will always occur, and this year quite a number of nonfatal and fatal accidents have taken place. A full account of each reported accident appears in. a return at the end of this report. Boilers inspected. During the year 7,398 boilers were examined, being an increase of 362 on the number inspected last year. 790 defects were discovered in connection with boilers, twenty-six of which were very dangerous. No boiler-explosion has taken place causing bodily injury to any one, which is a matter of great satisfaction to the Department, and I congratulate the entire technical staff on such a result. Every district as far as possible has been visited, and there were not a great many boilers overdue in any part of New Zealand at the end of the year. This branch of the Department's work has gone along very smoothly, and there have been few cases of dispute with owners. Several steam-jacketed pans of peculiar construction have been, submitted for the Department's ruling during the year. Three hundred and seventy new boilers were inspected for the first time during the year. The table below gives the districts to which they have gone, their horse-power, and whether made locally or imported :—■

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District. Local. Number. power. Imported. I , ! HorseNumber. power To" ;al. Horsepower. Number. Luckland ... mckland South lawke's Bay ?aranaki Vellington North Vellington , . larlborough Telson North I elson South Vestland 'anterbury !anterbury South )tago Southland ... 50 529* 21 254" 24 195 21 308 10 91| 17 74i 5 41 5 67 5 41 6 237 23 107J 1 15 15 114£ 13 105* 529* 254 195 308 91f 74£ 41 67 41 237 107* 15 1141 105* 45 5 11 7 6 15 10 2 889* 153" 333 274 118 5514 95 26 35 28 16 32 5 15 ■ 7 6 30 5 46 24 1,419 407 528 582 209f 625| 41 1094 173 237 140f 36 319| 173 42* 132 7 4 31 11 33* 21 205 674 Totals ... ... 216 2,180* 5,001 216 2,1804 154 2,820| 370 * Plaoss at which examinations hava bjeii Leld more ihan once d" [ring the - iar.