H—22

Inspection Work With the staff available the amount of inspection work which it has been possible to carry out is still fairly limited. It is, however, anticipated that this position will improve during the forthcoming year and that inspection can once more be maintained at a pre-war level. Local-authority Administration No new local-body licensing authorities under the Explosives and Dangerous Goods Amendment Act, 1920, were appointed. One licensing authority —namely, the Leamington Town Board —applied to be relieved of the administration of the Act within its district, and steps were being taken to revoke the Board's appointment as a licensing authority. The administration of the Act within its district will then revert to the Department. XIV. RAFFLES AND ART-UNIONS Three hundred and fifty-four licenses under the authority of section 42 of the Gaming Act, 1908, were issued, and, of these, 166 were for works of art, 180 for small amounts of alluvial gold, and 8 for amounts ranging from £5O to £250, these being in aid of the building funds of Returned Services Associations. In addition, thirteen licenses were issued in respect of the regular £5,000 alluvial gold art-unions, tKe aggregate results of these being as follows : £ s. d. Gross sales .. .. .. .. .. 280,239 15 0 Commission on sales .. .. .. .. 42,035 19 3 Expenses .. .. .. .. .. 33,475 0 3 Prizes .. .. .. .. .. 65,000 0 0 Lottery duty .. .. .. .. .. 28,023 19 6 Net profit .. .. .. .. .. 111,704 16 0 Of the net profit, £38,896 was distributed to the various Mayoral and other recognized central relief of distress funds, £26,794 18s. Id. to charitable and philanthropic organizations, £15,755 Is. to patriotic funds, and £12,081 6s. 9d. to children's health camps. XV. PASSPORTS AND EXIT PERMITS New passports totalling 3,281 were issued, and 750 renewals were granted in cases where the traveller was already in possession of a passport. Owing to the very limited shipping facilities available, the issue of exit permits under the provisions of the Oversea Passengers Emergency Regulations 1939 was restricted to persons travelling on essential business or for highly compassionate reasons. XVI. CHANGE OF NAME On the 6th September, 1945, the Change of Name Emergency Regulations, which prohibited the use of a name other than the name by which a person was known, were revoked by the Emergency Regulations Revocation Order 1945. From this date it has not been necessary for persons desiring to change their names to obtain the prior consent of the Hon. the Minister of Internal Affairs. From the 31st March until the 6th September, 1945, 66 applications for exemption from the provisions of the regulations were approved, and 1 was declined.

21