Zealand. It has a mile-long reservoir containing 525,000,000 gallons of water, and has a total generating capacity of 110,000 volts. A smaller station, which is capable of being extended to become one of the largest in the country, is under construction at Lake Waikaremoana, in the Hawkes Bay District.

Another large station is to be built at the Arapuni rapids, on the Waikato River, and a contract for the provision of a dam, spillway, headworks and powerhouse and the installation of plant, has been let to the English firm of Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth & Co., Ltd. The amount involved in the contract is 1,175,6527.

Railway works have also been pushed on steadily, and a contract let for the building of an 18-mile section in the Bay of Plenty district. Messrs. Armstrong, Whitworth & Co., Ltd., were the successful tenderers.

Legislative enactments passed by Parliament during the session, which came to an end on November 7, consisted largely of Amending Acts. The "Customs Amendment Act," relating to Empire Preference, increases from 25 per cent. to 75 per cent. the amount of British materials and workmanship required to qualify merchandise for the Preferential Rates of the Customs Tariff. (See above under Australia, p. 314.)

The "Prevention of Crime (Borstal Institutions Establishment) Act" makes provision for the acquisition of land for the establishment of Borstal Institutions, and for the supervision of inmates after the expiration of their term of detention. Wages by way of reward for special industry may be credited to inmates and used for their benefit during detention. Any balance standing to the credit of an inmate may, at the time of release, be paid to him either in a lump sum or placed to his credit in an account in the Post Office Savings Bank.

Two further measures for the control of rural products were passed and as a consequence the interests of Fruit and Honey producers will now be in the hands of their own elected representatives. The "Fruit Control Act" relates to both export and local marketing, but the Board representing the Apiarists will deal only with exported Honey ("Honey Export Control Act"). Both Acts are effective only after ratification by a poll of those concerned in the industries and the publication of a Proclamation by the Governor-General.

The wisdom of giving Legislative authority to the New Zealand Meat Producers' Board ("Meat Export Control Act, 1922,") and the Dairy Producers' Board (" Dairy Produce Export Control Act, 1923 ") has been established beyond question. Following on the economies previously effected by the Meat Board in freights, freezing, and handling charges, a contract for freight has now been made for a term of three years at rates which show a further all-round reduction, and steps have been taken to ensure that only the best quality meat shall be shipped.

The Dairy Produce Board has confined its activities mainly

to co-operating with the Meat Board in the matter of freight negotiations and the supervision of steamship loading operations. A deputation was sent to investigate the markets of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Europe, and freight and insurance contracts have been made which will effect a considerable saving. It is estimated that the freight contract, which is for a period of three years, will save to the producers an average of 121,8757. per annum.

While the Meat Producers' Board is able to bring about economies and improvements in the directions indicated, there is one phase of the meat industry which continues to put an unnecessarily severe strain upon it. It has been evident for some time past that some of the freezing works established in New Zealand are superfluous. The output of meat from the Argentine is approximately 4 times greater than that from New Zealand, but in the former country there are ten export works operating as against 44 in New Zealand. A proposal has, therefore, been put forward which, if carried into effect, would place all the works in the Dominion under the control of a Board which would have power to close down such works as are not required in the economic operation of the industry. Support for the proposal comes mainly from the weaker farmers' co-operative concerns, while it is strongly opposed by the wellestablished proprietary companies. Special legislation would be required to give the necessary powers to the Board.

The year has shown much industrial activity and trade buoyancy. The search for Petroleum in the Dominion has for long received the active encouragement and assistance of the Government, but as yet oil has not been found in appreciable quantities. For some years past the search has been carried on in a more or less desultory manner, but towards the end of 1923 an eminent Geologist visited the country and reported on its possibilities as a producer of oil. As a result of his report a strong Company has been formed and has secured the right to prospect over two large tracts of country. Active operations have now been commenced. The production of Shale Oil, too, is to receive fresh attention. A Company which established a works for this purpose about twenty years ago has sought and obtained from the Government a promise of a substantial bonus on oil won, and it now proposes to make a fresh start.

The Iron Industry has likewise been placed on a working footing after many years of experiment and the loss of large sums of money. The Iron and Steel Industries Act of 1914 offered a liberal bonus on production, and the Onakaka Iron and Steel Company has now established a blast furnace and a battery of sixteen coke ovens on the huge iron-ore deposits at Parapara, in the north of the South Island. A trial run in January, 1924, met with complete success and continuous production has now commenced.

Prices for raw wool continued on a high level, bringing

prosperity to the sheep farmers. The manufacturing end of the industry is now receiving increased attention and a new woollen mill is in course of erection at Wanganui. Proposals are being considered for the establishment of two further mills in the North Island-one in the Manawatu and one in the Wairarapa district.

Viscount Jellicoe, on the completion of his appointment as Governor-General, sailed from New Zealand on November 26. Throughout his term of office he showed himself to be in marked sympathy with the aims and ambitions of the Dominion and earned the deepest respect of all classes. The new Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson, is the son of a former Governor, Sir Jas. Fergusson, 1873-74.

The Port Elliot, a new vessel belonging to the Commonwealth and Dominion Line, went ashore on the rocks at East Cape about midnight on January 12. The crew were landed safely.

Several vessels of the Royal Navy visited the main ports of the Dominion in April and May in the course of an Empire cruise. They were received with great enthusiasm and were visited by large crowds. Thousands of school children were brought by the Government from country centres to view the warships. The visit synchronised with a strike of Railway employees, members of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, which commenced at midnight on April 21. The question of increases in wages had been under consideration for some time, and a Wages Board representative of the Society on one side and of the Railway management on the other, with an impartial Chairman agreed to by both sides, had been set up. Before the taking of evidence had been completed, the Executive of the Society issued strike notices and a complete stoppage was effected immediately before the visiting British Fleet entered Dominion waters. A proposal for the setting up of a new Commission, put forward by the Railwaymen on April 26, was not accepted by the Government, which declared that it could not agree to discuss the matter unless ordinary working of the railways had first of all been resumed. As a result of this declaration of policy the strike was declared off at midnight on April 29.

Serious floods were experienced practically throughout the country during the Autumn and early Winter. Extensive damage was done to roads, bridges, railways, and farm lands.

New Zealand has continued to administer the territory of Western Samoa under the Mandate of the League of Nations. A report relating to the year ended March 31, 1924, was submitted to the League, the Mandates Commission of which congratulated the Dominion on its satisfactory administration of the territory. Public Health, the Liquor Traffic, Education, and the regulation of Labour conditions, have received special attention. The efforts of the Health Authorities, particularly

among the natives, have met with most satisfactory resultsthe death-rate being practically halved. The natives now present a general appearance of cleanliness and freedom from disease. There is very little crime in the territory and few serious offences. In May legislation came into force giving British nationality to the children of Europeans resident in the territory and married to Samoans or half-castes.

A delegation from the Samoan Native Parliament (Faipule) visited New Zealand in December. They expressed great pleasure at the results which have been achieved by the efforts of the Administrator and his Staff, and expressed the hope that Great Britain would eventually take over the whole of the Samoan Group.

At the invitation of the Administrator, Samoa was visited in July and August, 1924, by Dr. S. M. Lambert, of the International Health Board of the Rockefeller Foundation. Dr. Lambert's report on his health survey of the territory pays tribute to the work of the Public Health officials, particularly regarding their efforts to control Yaws and Hookworm. Such a report, coming from an Authority with no personal interest in the Administration, deserves to be specially recorded.

PART II.

CHRONICLE OF EVENTS

IN 1924.

JANUARY.

1. The New Year Honours lists included a Viscount (Lord Inchcape) and three Barons, Sir Frederick Banbury (Lord Banbury of Southam), Sir Charles Darling (Lord Darling of Langham), and Sir Herbert Jessel (Lord Jessel of Westminster).

Messrs. Waterlow & Sons were appointed printers of British postage stamps. This is the fourth change of printers since adhesive stamps were introduced into this country, eighty-four years ago.

Mr. Henry Laming made a gift of 50,000l. to Queen's College, Oxford, for the purpose of founding travelling fellowships.

- A third supplementary Royal Charter granted to the Institution of Civil Engineers gives to the members the right of describing themselves as Chartered Civil Engineers."

3. Mr. Howard Carter opened the doors of the three remaining shrines in the tomb of Tutankhamen, and discovered the sarcophagus in which the Pharaoh lies.

At 8 A.M. the level of the Seine at the Pont d'Austerlitz was officially stated to be 6 metres 65 centimetres above the normal, and a further rise was expected.

7. Direct communication by trans-Atlantic cable and land wire was opened by the Western Union Telegraph Co. between London and Chicago.

Mr. G. Washington Browne, R.S.A., was elected President of the Royal Scottish Academy, in place of Sir J. Lawton Wingate, resigned. 8. The Fifth Parliament of King George V. was opened.

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Bitter wintry weather, with severe gales on the coasts, was reported from all parts of the British Isles.

9. It was announced that a new political party had come into existence, to be known as the Rural Party.

A