29

H.—6

Return of Defects found on the Inspection of Boilers and Fittings during the Financial Year ended 31st March, 1884.

The Inspectoe of Machineey, Auckland District, to the Chief Inspectoe of Machineey. Sic,— Auckland, 7th April, 1884. I have the honour to submit for your information my annual report of boilers and machinery inspected in the Auckland District from the Ist April, 1883, to the 31st March, 1884.

Return showing the Number and Description of Boilers inspected, and Fees for the same.

The above return shows an increase of 23 boiler inspections compared with the previous year. The fees for the same period are increased by £26. The prosperous state of trade in this district has caused a steady increase of steam-power. There are, in addition to the above, 45 boilers that have not been inspected, which makes a total of 370 boilers now working in this district. Only two have been granted exemption from annual inspection under the Act of 1882, brought into force on the 31st January last. Forty-five new boilers have been brought into use—2s imported from Great Britain, 2 from America, and 18 made in this colony. I have given five written and twenty-three verbal notices to repair boilers, all of which were readily complied with. In fact owners show a desire to keep their boilers in working order. "When the repairs were large, or difficult to do, the boiler was afterwards proved by hydraulic pressure. The tost varied, in accordance with age, &c, from 30 to 50 per cent, over the working pressure. All the new boilers made in this district have been tested to 100 per cent. over. In the dangerous case referred to —Portable Boiler No. 1228, owned by Mr. C. P. Bury, since sold to Mr. W. King— the top of the fire-box was badly bulged, and the tube-plate in the same very much sprung, about onethird of the tube end being drawn half through the plate. In fact there was every indication of the water having been too low, and the plates overheated. I may state it has been thoroughly repaired, and is now in good working order. I -found the 3ides of shell on seats of 5 Cornish boilers wasting, caused by being fixed, on low wet ground, and lime in contact with the iron. The lime has been replaced with fireclay, and the ground drained, which I feel convinced will stop the decay that was going on. One boiler has been converted from cylindrical to the tubular principle; 33 have changed owners ;12 have been let out on hire; 1 has been taken from here to the Wellington District, and 3 brought from there to this district.

sllingi ion. Mar] [borough. Nell ion Ni >rth. *ana] :i. Hawke's lay. Description. ;-v I to i a 1 o I I I O H I a 1 O 4 I I to S 0 g 9 "o a] P O U 3d grooving and pitting Blistered plates .. Dracked plates rube-ends leaking Plates overheated External corrosion Broken stays Weak manhole openings .. 3-auge-glass mountings Btearn-gauges Safety-valvos Spring balance Fusible plugs Peed pumps Blow-o2 pipe 1 3 "a 1 '2 2 7 14 4 3 5 2 i 7 14 4 i 1 3 1 "i i i 1 • • I 1 '3 'i 1 '3 '2 6 '4 6 4 i '4 3 "t 9 i 3 1 4 9 *3 3 5 3 1 5 3 1 4 2 2 4 2 2 *2 i 3 3 3 1 i 2 ~2 1 i Totals < * 10 43 8 5 13 1 14 18 18 1 83 15 22 28

Number. Nature of Boiler. 5 to 10 Over 10 Horse-power. Horse-power. Fees. Remarks. Under 5 Horse-power. 'ortable boilers Stationary boilers .locomotive boilers 'ortable boilers Stationary boilers .locomotive boilers 3 13 84 3 3 1 40 80 2 2 79 2 18 43 2 1 I £ 160 433 «. a. 0 0 0 0 Employed at 32 establishments, at £t each. Charged for at pei horse-power of eacr boiler. Totals ... 103 711 146 593 0 0