H.—ls

8

The figures in parentheses indicate the attendance at the examinations held during the previous year. In the course of the year the Shipping and Seamen Act was amended with the object of removing a hardship to which many who desired to become marine engineers were exposed. By the amending Act, which, having received the Royal assent, came into force on the 15th February, applicants for examination for third-class marine engineers' certificates of competency who have been unable to fulfil the requirements of the Department in respect of qualifying workshop service during their apprenticeship are enabled to perform the necessary additional service subsequent thereto. Since the passing of the Amendment Act many who were previously debarred from being examined for third-class certificates of competency have presented themselves for examination. Inspection of Boilers and Machinery. Boilers and Pressure Vessels. The following is a statement of the number of inspections made during this year, the corresponding figures for the previous year being shown in parentheses : — Class. Number. Boilers and steam-pressure vessels inspected for the first time .. 286 (398) Air-receivers inspected for the first time .. .. .. 293 Total inspections of all boilers and pressure vessels .. .. 7,925 (7,721) The Air-receiver Regulations came into force on the Ist January, 1929. Most of the air-receivers noted above as having been inspected for the first time were therefore not new ones. Inspection has shown the need for rules governing design, construction, and inspection. It has been noted with surprise that some of the new imported receivers failed to comply with authoritative standards of the country in which they were made. The owner of a boiler was prosecuted, and a fine inflicted, for permitting it to be worked at a pressure exceeding that allowed by the certificate. There was one boiler explosion during the year. Fortunately, no one was injured. An examination of the boiler showed that previous to the explosion the cylindrical shell plate had been fractured at the edge of the longitudinal seam. In other parts also the condition of the boiler was dangerous. The boiler was of the multitubular dry-back type, 4 ft. 6 in. in diameter and about 6 ft. 3 in. long. The longitudinal joint was a lap joint, treble riveted. The safety-valve was set to blow off at a pressure of 1201b. per square inch. The boiler was in use on a log-hauler. It was last inspected nineteen months prior to the explosion, and the certificate which was then granted had, therefore, lapsed seven months when the explosion occurred. Machinery. Inspections of machinery for the year were as follows : Lifts inspected for the first time, 110 ; cranes inspected for the first time, 17 : total number of inspections of machinery, 42,264. The total for the previous year was 39,672 inspections. The increase in the numbers of inspections of all boilers and machinery is about 6 per cent., and this additional work has been carried out without additional assistance. The arrears of inspections are, however, considerable, and additions to the staff have been found necessary to enable the work to be kept up to date. The following table shows the number of inspections of boilers and machinery from 1915-16 onwards : — v Number v Number ear ' of Inspections. ear ' of Inspections. 1915-16 .. .. 17.857 1923-24 .. .. 32,891 1916-17 .. .. 19,362 1924-25 .. .. 35,797 1917-18 .. .. 21,118 1925-26 .. .. 42,529 1918-19 .. .. 22,614 1926-27 .. .. 47,209 1919-20 .. .. 25,824 1927-28 .. .. 48,638 1920-21 .. .. 28,553 1928-29 .. .. 47,393 1921-22 .. .. 31,876 1929-30 .. .. 50,189 1922-23 .. .. 33,124 From this statement it will be seen that the number of inspections has increased very considerably in the past ten years. There were reported during the year four fatal and 105 non-fatal accidents. One of the fatal accidents was due to a crane-hook accidently becoming detached from a sling supporting a steel plate resting on its edge on the ground. The foreman, anticipating that the plate would fall over against a wall, ordered the hook to be lowered. The plate, however, happened to be momentarily balanced, and the hook, being relieved of the weight, slipped below the sling. The plate then fell over on the wrong side and pinned the foreman to the ground. The second fatal accident occurred to a workman who either jumped from or was thrown off a truck which was being lowered down an incline and of which control was lost through the winchman inadvertently releasing the brake on the winch.