H.—ls.

steam-winding engine-driver, electric winding engine-driver, locomotive-engine driver, traction-engine driver, locomotive and traction engine driver, and electric-tram driver. The total number of candidates examined was 528 ; of this number 371 passed and 157 failed in their examinations. Recognition of Certificates from Abroad. —Under section 49 of the Inspection of Machinery Act, 1908, certificates of the appropriate grade were granted, without examination, to holders of certificates from abroad, as follows : New South Wales, 1 ; Tasmania, 1 ; Queensland, 1. Government Shipping Offices. In the Government shipping offices the administration of the Shipping and Seamen Act has been efficiently carried out. Appended is a statement showing the number of seamen engaged and discharged at the various ports during the year, and the fees received for such transactions. The total numbers engaged and discharged were 17,188 and 17,069 respectively, as against 19,285 and 19,348 respectively during the previous financial year. The transactions at the four main ports were as follows (the figures in parentheses being those of the previous year) : —

Inspection op Seamen. This service has been maintained. A record of men applying for work is kept for the purpose of filling vacancies as they occur. Sick and Injured Seamen. The total amount paid by shipowners to sick and injured seamen, under the provisions of the Shipping and Seamen Act, 1908, and its amendments, was £24,445 15s. 3d., as against £21,853 14s. 9d. in the previous year, an increase of £2,592 os. 6d. Registration op Shipping. On the 31st December last there were on the register of vessels in the Dominion 92 sailing-vessels, of 11,634 tons register ; 262 steamers, of 101,594 tons register ; and 204 mo tor-vessels, of 4,109 tons register ; as compared with 117 sailing-vessels, of 19,452 tons register ; 281 steamers, of 100,765 tons register ; and 181 motor-vessels, of 3,476 tons register, at the end of the previous year. The number of seamen and boys employed on board was 3,545, as compared with 3,990 at the end of 1925. S.s. " Tutanekai." The lighthouse tender continued to perform her regular function throughout the year, with the exception of the period from the 16th April to the Bth June, 1926, during which time she was engaged in conveying His Excellency the Governor-General round the Cook Islands. In March, 1927, the vessel left for the cruise round the Southern islands. All the castaway depots, boats, sheds, and stores were examined and found intact. There were no signs of any one having used the depots since the previous visit of the vessel. The s.s. " Tutanekai "is now thirty-one years old, and is becoming very costly to maintain. The increasing cost of annual overhaul is becoming a serious consideration, and it would appear that the vessel is approaching the end of her utility as a lighthouse tender. It has therefore been recommended that a new vessel, specially constructed to meet the requirements of the lighthouse service, be ordered. The work of drawing up the plans and specifications is now nearing completion. Prosecutions. During the year prosecutions for offences under and breaches of the various Acts administered by the Department were taken as follows : Fisheries Act, 33 ; Harbours Act, 5 ; Inspection of Machinery Act, 9 ; Shipping and Seamen Act, 10. Whaling in Ross Dependency. Ross Dependency, which was declared a dependency of this Dominion on the 30th July, 1923, has since that date been visited annually by ships of the Norwegian whaling enterprise which carries on its operations under license now controlled by this Dominion. The license is for a period of twenty-one years, and in their operations the licensees are entitled to use two floating factories and ten whale-catchers. The licensees appear to have conformed to the conditions of the license, which amongst its provisions requires that whale carcasses shall not be discarded, and that the whole of the carcasses shall be utilized in the production of oil. This year has marked the fourth whaling season in Ross Dependency. The " Sir James Clark Ross " and five whale-catchers left Stewart Island for Ross Dependency on the sth November, 1926, returning there at the end of the season. The "C. A. Larsen " and five whale-catchers left on the

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Port. Engagements. ' Discharges. Fees. £ s. d. £ s. d. Auckland .. .. .. 5,606 (6,523) 5,608 (6,608) 991 19 0 (1,210 17 0) Wellington .. .. .. 6,429 (7,205) 6,504 (7,239) 1,156 18 0 (1,294 5 0) Lyttelton .. .. .. 1,262(1,556) 1,319 (1,416) 221 8 0 (271 3 0) Dunedin .. .. .. 1,392 (1,688) 1,161 (1,744) 236 4 0 (322 12 0)