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Consumers' installations : The consumer is required to maintain his installation in a safe condition, and the licensee is empowered to discontinue supply if the installation is dangerous. General safety : A regulation has been made requiring the licensee to bring under the consumer's notice annually certain requirements designed to ensure greater safety to the users of electrical energy. This should have the effect of reducing still further the small number of accidents from electrical causes. (b) Electrical Wiring Regulations. (These were previously issued by the Council of the New Zealand Fire Underwriters). Temporary wiring : The condition under which temporary wiring may be installed have been specified, and this should tend towards uniformity of practice and greater safety. Switchboards : All switchboards which are mounted on a wall must now be provided with an enclosing case, thus meeting the objection of the Painters and Paperhangers' Union, who have on several occasions stated that some of their members had received shocks when papering behind a switchboard. Thickness for switchboards of composition material has been specified, to secure adequate mechanical strength. Switch-gear : In the case of underground supply, provision is made for a master switch to be fitted near an entrance or exit door, to enable firemen to cut off the supply, if necessary, in case of fire. Service-mains : The minimum size of service-mains has been specified, so as to ensure that the mains are of sufficient size for the new installation, and a lithograph of curves showing the minimum size of conductor required for motor installations as a function of the permissible voltage-drop has been included as an appendix. Wireless aerials : Provision has been made to prevent contact between overhead lines and wireless aerials or stay-wires. Flexible cords : The weight which a flexible cord may carry is specified, in order to prevent undue stress in the conductors. Wiring systems with special control: A regulation governing the use of wiring systems having a special method of remote control has been included, to cover a new .system of wiring invented by a resident of Christchurch. Wiring in special situations : Special requirements have been included for wiring in special situations, in order to obtain additional safety. Bell-ringing transformers : Provision has been made for the use of bell-ringing transformers. Electric signs : The methods of wiring and control of electric signs have been specified. Electric lifts: A regulation has been included to provide safe conditions for electrically-operated lifts. Electric water-heaters : The requirements for electric water-heaters are specified. Medical and dental appliances : A regulation governing the use of medical and dental appliances has been included, to prevent danger to patients. Places of public amusement: Special requirements for installations in theatres, &c., have been specified, to secure additional safety. High and extra-high pressures : Regulations governing the installation and use of high- and extrahigh pressure apparatus have been included. Earthing : The requirements for the earthing of apparatus when used in places where the user is otherwise likely to receive an electrical shock have been very fully covered to prevent accidents. General: The new Wiring Regulations cover the installation of wiring on premises in a much more complete manner than wiring rules previously in operation. Approval Board. The setting-up of an Approval Board is. closely allied with the administration of the regulations, and steps have now been taken to draft the necessary legislative enactment. The proposed Act will contain provisions for controlling the sale and use of electrical material and apparatus in the Dominion by approval of same being first obtained from the proposed Board, and it is hoped thereby to afford protection to the public by prohibiting any apparatus which does not conform to the requirements of the Board. Work for. other Departments. This Department during the year has been called upon to co-operate with other Government Departments, amongst which may be quoted the work done on the advisory committee set up to investigate and report on the Christchurcli-Lyttelton electrification proposals of the Railway Department, also the acceptance of tenders for plant in connection with same. Tenders for the electrical equipment of railway workshops were also dealt with by this committee. Special oscillograph investigations were made into the question of telephone interference arising from the Otira Tunnel railway electrification, for which a solution was obtained and applied with satisfactory results. Other oscillograph investigations extending over several days were undertaken in the Taranaki district at the request of the Post and Telegraph Department to locate the disturbing factor from the local electric-supply stations which was causing telephone interference in that district. The results obtained pointed to a solution which it is anticipated will prove satisfactory as soon as the electric-supply authority concerned has installed the corrective apparatus recommended. The assistance of this Department was also sought by the Mental Hospitals Department in connection with their proposals to equip the hospitals at Porirua and Seacliff for electric service.