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ELECTRICAL ACCIDENTS. The following is a list of various electrical accidents reported to the Department for twelve months from the 30th June, 1928, to the 30th June, 1929 : — 3/7/28 Substation attendant received burns to face and arms through opening starting-switch of 2,000 kw. rotary converter in error. (Auckland Power Board.) 18/7/28 Maori boy, aged ten years, electrocuted through climbing transmission-line pole and coming in contact with air-break switch, Ngongotaha-Opotiki 50,000-volt line. (Public Works Department.) 22/7/28 Man received severe burns through wilfully climbing on to substation platform and contacting with live wires. (Thames Yallev Power Board.) 13/8/28 Linesman electrocuted while erecting low-tension line under 6,600-volt line. (Hutt Valley Power Board.) 22/8/28 Assistant linesman received shock and slight burn through slipping while working on pole and coming in contact with 2,000-volt mains and stay wire. (Wellington City Council.) 22/8/28 Assistant linesman electrocuted by contact with live 6,600-volt lines. This man exceeded his instructions and had no right to climb pole. (Poverty Bay Power Board.) 9/9/28 Consumer received severe shock while trying to repair radiator attached to three-pin plug. (Wellington.) 15/9/28 Consumer received shock through broken plug on iron and making accidental contact with oven. (Christchurch.) 23/9/28 A mine electrical engineer received shock and burns while working near 11,000-volt cubicle. (Grey Power Board.) 7/10/28 Boy electrocuted by contact with high-tension telephone-line which had become detached from supporting bracket. (Dunedin City Council.) 8/11/28 Four cattle electrocuted by contact with low-tension line brought down by cattle milling around pole. (Wanganui-Rangitikei Power Board.) 23/11/28 Linesman electrocuted while working on live low-tension lines through not taking proper precautions. (Waitaki Power Board.) 21/12/28 Engineer at hospital electrocuted through using a portable hand-lamp that did not comply with the regulation requirements. (Central Hawke's Bay Power Board.) 27/12/28 Boy received shock and burns from a defective vacuum-cleaner flexible. (Wairarapa Power Board.) 14/1/29 Wireman received shock and slight burns while working near high-tension transformer in cramped space. (Raetihi Borough Council.) 23/1/29 Child received shock and slight burns through climbing on to roof of outhouse and making contact with live wires. (Wanganui Power Board.) 25/1/29 Man received severe shock and cow electrocuted through high-tension line falling and contacting with low-tension line, which in turn livened up wire fence. This further livened up cow-shed through some scrap iron in contact with both. (WanganuiRangitikei Power Board.) 12/4/29 Wireman received shock from consumer's main while working on switchboard. (Napier Borough Council.) 20/6/29 Workman received burns through dropping a spanner on live terminals in undergroundcable box. (Auckland Power Board.) 21/6/29 A carpenter miraculously escaped severe injuries or death when he allowed a piece of metal downpipe to foul 11 kv. line. (Manawatu-Oroua Power Board.) ELECTRIC-POWER BOARDS. Amendments to the original (1918) Act, based on the results of experience, were passed in 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, and 1923. The legislation was consolidated and amended in the Electric-power Boards Act, 1925, with subsequent amendments in 1927 and 1928. The development of the reticulated areas of Electric-power Boards has continued to make substantial progress during the year. There are now forty-three districts constituted, and thirty-eight actually carrying out the distribution and sale of electrical energy (August, 1929). The total area covered is 66,869 square miles, or 63 per cent, of the total area of the Dominion ; the total population concerned is 922,464, or 63 per cent, of the total population of the Dominion ; and unimproved value of the land included in the electric-power districts and outer areas is £254,032,991, or 74-5 per cent, of the total unimproved value of the Dominion. The attached coloured map shows the location of the various Boards already constituted and the proposed Boards. The areas in which Electric-power Boards have not been set up are, on the whole, comparatively sparsely populated, but there is one locality where it would appear that such a Board could with advantage be formed —viz., the suggested Waimarino Electric-power District, which includes Ohakune, Raetihi, and surrounding district. Since the 31st March, 1929, the Waimea Electric-power District has been constituted, including Richmond, Motueka, Tahunanui, and portion of Waimea County. Nelson City is included in the outer area of this district. The proposed Hurunui Electric-power District is also well on its way towards being constituted. Hobson Electric-power District is extending its area to include Otamatea and Whangarei Counties. So far only one of the four main cities —viz., Auckland —has been included in the inner area of a power district, but of the secondary centres the boroughs of Wanganui, Palmerston North, Invercargill, Timaru, Napier, Hastings, Blenheim, Greymouth, Gisborne, and Oamaru are included. The advantages of Power Board organization are more obvious to rural than to urban ratepayers, and yet the above position indicates that some of the more important centres are realizing that it is to their advantage generally to be associated with the country in undertaking the work of reticulation of electric power on a comprehensive scale.