D.—l

A matter which has caused som§ concern is that several applications for registration were received from persons who had not served an apprenticeship to the electrical trade as required by the Act. To bring the necessity for apprenticeship under the notice of those most concerned, and also to draw attention to the need for some contracts of apprenticeship to be registered, a circular was prepared and the co-operation of the electrical-supply authorities was requested to ensure delivery to the right persons. The Department of Labour offered its co-operation, and it is anticipated that this difficulty will soon be solved. A solution was found for the problem regarding the necessary experience for registration on the part of the employees of electrical-supply authorities. During the year 173 names which had been removed from the registers in 1936 as a result of the quinquennial purging were restored to the registers, making a total of 247 up to the end of March, 1937. Notice was received that a number of persons whose names had been purged from the registers were deceased. The electrical-supply authorities have again given valuable assistance in the enforcement of the Act. The Act has been the means of attracting a good type of man to the trade, as well as considerably improving the standard of work and service to the public by this important branch of the electrical industry. F. T. M. Kissel, B.SC., M.1.E.E., A.M.1.0.E., Chief Electrical Engineer.

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