D.—l,

ELECTRICAL FIRES. During the year there were 24 fires attributed to electrical causes and reported to the Department by the electrical supply authorities, as per list below. The corresponding figures for 1937 and 1936 were twenty-three and twenty-seven respectively. The sources of this year's electrical fires included the following:— Electric irons .. .. .. .. .. .. 3 Radiators .. .. .. . . .. .. 1 Water-heaters boiling dry .. .. .. .. 2 Other electrical appliances .. .. .. .. 6 Defective installations .. .. .. .. .. 9 Transformer-oil overheating .. .. . . 1 Rats .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. 24 The following is a summary of causes of electrical fires for the six-yearly period, 1933-38 :—

REGISTRATION OF ELECTRICAL WIREMEN. The continued activity in the building and allied trades has again resulted in a busy period in connection with the administration of the Electrical Wiremen's Registration Act. During the twelve months ended 31st March, 1938, fifteen meetings were held. No meeting was held in January. This is the largest number of meetings in any one year since 1932. Two members of the Registration Board resigned during the year and were replaced. The Act provides for the election of a new Board every three years, and the statutory period having expired on the 31st March a new Board was appointed in April. The number of reports of defective work for the year constitutes a record. There were 99 reports, compared with 98 for the year ended March, 1931. The number of reports for the year ended March, 1937, was only 29. It is of interest to note that some electrical Supply Authorities have never reported any wiremen for defective work; one authority with just under 1,500 consumers has made twelve reports, whereas another authority with over 6,500 consumers has not made one report. The reports of breaches of the Act and the Electrical Supply and Wiring Regulations showed an increase of 9 over the previous year and were the highest on record —namely, 125. The greatest numbers previously were 116 in 1937 and 113 in 1931. It is also interesting to note in this connection that some electrical Supply Authorities have never reported a breach of the Act or regulations, whereas others are particularly active. One authority with only 700 consumers has made fifteen reports, compared with no reports by an authority with nearly 13,000 consumers.

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1933. I 1934. i 1935. i 1936. ! 1937. ' 1938. Totals. ! I i i I I ' i • ' I Electric irons .. .. .. .. 4 12 8 8 17 3 42 Electric radiators .. .. .. .. 2 .. 1 2 .. [ ■ 1 6 Other electrical appliances .. .. .. 2 3 6 4 I 6 ' 8 29 Defective installations.. .. .. .. 411 7 12 3 9 46 Defective flexible cords .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3 .. 3 Defective radio installations .. .. . . .1 . . . . .. 1 .. 2 Bedding in contact with lamp .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. 1 Contact between distribution and service lines .. .. .. .. . . 1 .. 1 Lightning .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. 1 Soldering-iron .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. 1 Eats .. .. .. .. .... .. .. .. 2 2 Transformer-oil overheating . . .. . . .. .. .. . . .. 1 1 Totals .. .. .. 13 26 22 27 23 24 135