D.—l

94

The complete wiring and illumination of the Waitomo Caves was successfully carried out on behalf of the Tourist Department, and has effected a pronounced improvement over the methods previously in use, besides showing the caves to better advantage. For the Department of External Affairs complete sets of specifications and drawings were prepared for a hydro - electric installation in Samoa, and tenders called for the supply of the necessary pipe-line, power-house plant, overhead and underground cables, transformers, streetlighting, and watt hour meters for electric supply in Apia. Inspectioint of Electric Lines. During the year the staff was strengthened by the appointment of two Electric-lines Inspectors, who have been kept fully occupied in making up arrears in the inspection of the electric lines throughout the Dominion, and also in carrying out inspections associated with the additional 2,500 miles of new lines erected during the current year. The work represented a laige amount of travelling-time, and the lines and equipment of ninety-six electric-supply authorities scheduled below were inspected, and breaches of the regulations and defects in construction, &c., brought under the notice of the licensees concerned. Power Boards (34). Ashburton Hawke's Bay (part) Poverty Bay (part) Wairarapa Auckland (part) Horowhenua South Canterbury Waireref Banks Peninsula Hutt Valley Southland Wairoa Cambridge Malvern Springs-Ellesmere Waitaki Central Manawatu-Oroua Taranaki Waitemata (part) Central Hawke's Bay Marlborough (part) Tararua Waitomo Dannevirke Opunake Te Awamutu Wanganui-Rangitikei. Franklin Otago Teviot Grey Otago Central Thames Valley (part) Cities (4), Christchurch Dunedin Nelson Wellington (part). Boroughs (35). Bluff Motueka Queenstown Tauranga Gore Mataura Raetihi Te Aroha Hastings Napier Rangiora Thames Hamilton New Plymouth Riccarton Wairoa Inglewood Ohakune Stratford Waitara Invercargill Opotiki Sumner Westport Kaitangata Picton Timaru Whakatane Kaiapoi Palmerston North Taihape Whangarei. Lyttelton Patea Taumarunui Town Districts (7). Havelock North Kaponga Taradale Waverley. Kamo Mangaweka Te Puke County Councils (10). Eyre Kowai Murchison Waimairi. Halswell Kaikoura Rangiora Heathcote MacKenzie Uawa Companies (6). Hawera Reefton Waimea Kanieri Tai Tapu Wilsons (Wairua). As a result of the inauguration of these regular and systematic inspections it is hoped that the standard of construction hitherto erected by some electric-supply authorities will be progressively improved. It is also satisfactory to notice that some licensees have already set a high standard, and it is hoped that ultimately the standard of work throughout the Dominion will bear very favourable comparison with that of any other country. The electric-supply authorities are apparently anxious to co-operate with the Department in endeavouring to carry out the regulations, but it is recognized that some of them are not financially able to effect immediate improvements ; and the Department, in administering the regulations, and where necessary to fix a time-limit, has no desire to be other than tolerant where such is definitely known to be the cause of slow response in remedying any existing defects. The inspection work has been confined principally to overhead lines and equipment, but it may be necessary to undertake further inspection work in connection with the Electrical Wiring Regulations, 1927, if electric-supply authorities fail to carry out the obligations imposed by their licenses. Electric-supply authorities must recognize the responsibility resting on them through their Inspectors, who are registered under the Wiremen's Registration Act, and take active steps to detect bad workmanship and unregistered wiremen. The Electrical Supply Regulations and Electrical Wiring