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tachometers, frequency meters, special electric motors, X-ray tubes, mercury contactors, thermostats, pyrometers, thermometers, special electric switches, voltage-regulators, railwaytrack recorders, moisture-meters, thermocouples, microtomes, seismographs, hygrometers, balances, gas-pressure recorders, magnetic compasses, pressure and vacuum gauges, plottingtables, dial gauges, micrometers, smoke-density meters. Tool-room The tool-room has been fully engaged throughout the year on the manufacture of precision steel gauges, dies, tools, and special equipment requiring accurate machining and grinding. Over 6,190 gauges and 2,545 tools were made during the past twelve months. This work has been performed strictly to priorities submitted weekly to the Dominion Physical Laboratory by the Munitions Controller. The shortage of skilled toolmakers has necessitated the employment of the minimum ratio of skilled to unskilled operators. Several female machinists trained under the Emergency Training Scheme at the Wellington Technical College have proved very satisfactory. The work is subdivided into (a) machining of steel before hardening; (b) hardening by salt-bath furnace-heat treatment; (c) grinding within the final tolerance; (d) check measurement. These four processes are conducted in separate rooms. A thorough system of routing the work has been instituted, since one of the major difficulties in any workshop dealing with a large number of differing items is to avoid losing sight of any one piece of machined metal. Although the main output of the tool-room to date has been gauges, there has been a considerable increase in the amount of small precision-tool work, and this can be expected to increase still further as the facilities at the Dominion Physical Laboratory tool-room become more widely known. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Director: Dr. J. Henderson During the year ended 31st March, 1944, the Director visited Whangarei, Wellsford, Kaukapakapa, Greymouth, Hokitika, Clarendon, Elliotvale, and Glenorchy to inspect deposits of economic value. He prepared reports on fireclays and ganisters, on feldspar, on quartz crystal, and on earthquake risk in New Zealand, and in addition a number of reports by other officers of the Geological Survey were edited. Field officers were largely engaged in examining, sampling, and estimating quantities of coal and other deposits of possible economic value, the only regional mapping being that necessary to further this work. Many bore-sites to test for subsurface water were selected, several municipal water-supplies were examined, hot-water supplies at Rotorua were reported on, and the geology of sites suggested for dams, bridges, and buildings was investigated. Geophysical work was carried out in several localities, the magneto-meter being found especially useful in the prospecting of the small bodies of serpentine occurring in North Auckland. Coal Survey All parts of the Grey Coalfield have now been mapped sufficiently to allow the preparation of the report. Mr. W. E. Hall is working on the historical and operational sections in Wellington, and Mr. M. Gage on the sequence and structural sections in Greymouth. The Westport Coalfield has been photographed from the air, ground control stations have been fixed, and as soon as the detailed map now in hand is ready, Mr. H. E. Fyfe will begin the detailed examination. Aerial mapping and the much simpler sequence of coalmeasures should greatly shorten the time of investigation as compared with that of the Grey Coalfield. Dr. A. It. Lillie, who, since the beginning of 1944, has been assisted by Mr. M. T. Te Punga, is now well forward with the mapping of the Nightcaps-Ohai Coalfield. The topography is easier and the outcrops fewer than on the Grey Coalfield, so that data are less abundant and the conclusions will be less precise. Mr. Fyfe visited Greymouth, Manapehi, Ohura, and Huntly, the two latter in order to advise on areas of shallow coal that it is proposed to strip and mine opencast. Mr. J. Healy furnished a report on the proposed prospecting at Kawakawa, North Auckland, and Messrs. 11. W. Wellman and R. W. Willett another on a coal-bearing area at Elliotvale, a few miles south of Milton. PalvKontolugical Work Dr. J. Marwick examined many collections of molluscan fossils from the West Coast and from Wairoa (Hawke's Bay) and Moeraki districts. Mr. C. A. Fleming completed his identifications of faunas from the Dannevirke Subdivision. Both officers prepared descriptions of new forms found during their work. Dr. 11. J. Finlay identified foraminifera from a great many samples forwarded by oil companies and field officers. The more important groups of samples were from North Auckland, the West Coast, and Moeraki. Petrological Work Dr. C. 0. Hutton made many mineral determinations for the Dominion Laboratory, Railways, and other Departments, as well as for commercial firms, &c. He identified minerals in numerous samples of heavy residues from the Manawatu-Wanganui district and North Westland. This work was to aid oil companies in mapping formations. He examined also a series of concentrates from dredges, visited New Plymouth in connection with the igneous rock penetrated in the Devon bore, and visited North Auckland to advise on the probable behaviour of the small bodies of serpentine likely to be required by the fertilizer industry.

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