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THE WORLD'S ADVANCE 



MASSACHUSETTS NEW ELECTRI- 

 CIAN'S LAW 



A law of great importance to residents 

 of Massachusetts became effective July 

 first. The most important clause in this 

 act is as follows, "Except as hereinafter 

 provided, no person, firm or corporation 

 shall, after the first day of September, 

 nineteen hundred and fifteen, enter into, 

 engage in, or work at the business of in- 

 stalling wires, conduits, apparatus, fix- 

 tures or other appliances for carrying 

 or using electricity for light, heat or 

 power purposes in this commonwealth, 

 either as a master or employing electri- 

 cian or as a journeyman electrician, un- 

 less such person, firm or corporation 

 shall have received a license or certificate 

 therefor, issued by the board provided 

 for in section two of this act, and in 

 accordance with the provisions herein- 

 after set forth." 



This means that unless he has a license 

 no person may repair a fixture of any 

 sort, install or repair any wiring with 

 a few minor exceptions or do any 

 power wiring incident to lathe motors, 

 wireless telegraph sets, etc. 



A commission is formed to carry out 

 the provisions of this act and it is ex- 

 pected that this commission will from 

 time to time hand down decisions regard- 

 ing the application of the act so as to 

 make it work a little less hardship than 

 it now does. While in its essence it is a 

 desirable measure in that it eliminates a 

 very undesirable class of person who 

 is accustomed to do work of a very ques- 

 tionable character, it appears as if the 

 act was going to restrict, in many cases, 

 the growth of the industry. It is al- 

 ready rumored that the commission will 

 issue a ruling forbidding electrical houses 

 from giving net rates to persons or com- 

 panies not holding a license. 



Examinations will be held at frequent 

 intervals at Boston, twice a year at five 

 other appointed places, and at any other 

 times or places the examiners may deem 

 necessary. A fee of $25.00 is required 

 to take a master's examination, and $1.00 

 for a journeyman's examination. In 

 order to perform the work one must have 

 a journeyman's license, and in order to 

 contract for the work it is necessary 



to have a master's license. Thus to in- 

 stall an electric light fixture for one's 

 self one need only have a $1.00 license, 

 but to do the work for a neighbor one 

 must have both licenses. Any person 

 actively engaged in electrical wiring for 

 a livelihood for the five consecutive 

 years next preceding his date of applica- 

 tion will be issued a license without ex- 

 amination. The license is renewable each 

 year upon the payment of a fee of fifty 

 cents for a journeyman's license and of 

 $15.00 for a master's license. 



There are certain exceptions to this 

 act, the most important of which are the 

 exemption of public service corporation 

 employees doing outside and meter in- 

 stallation work, certain temporary the- 

 atre work, elevator repair work, incor- 

 porated companies engaged in the trans- 

 mission of intelligence by signalling with 

 electricity, and apprentices working un- 

 der the direction of a licensed electrician. 

 A maximum penalty of $100.00 is im- 

 posed for the first offence of the viola- 

 tion of the provisions of the act. Sub- 

 sequent violations by the same person are 

 subject to a maximum penalty of $500.00. 



A complete copy of the act may be 

 obtained by addressing the Secretary of 

 the Commonwealth, 331 State House, 

 Boston, and asking for a copy of the 

 "Act Relative to the Registration of Per- 

 sons, Firms and Corporations Designing 

 to Install Wires or Apparatus for Elec- 

 tric Light, Heat or Power Purposes." 



NEW EXPLOSIVE FOE SUBMA- 

 RINE TORPEDOES 



A new explosive for use in submarine 

 boat torpedoes which is said to be im- 

 measurably more terrific in its destruc- 

 tive power than the explosives now in 

 general use has recently been perfected 

 by an inventor connected with a subma- 

 rine construction company of this coun- 

 try. The new explosive is used in con- 

 nection with mechanical devices upon 

 which patents are now pending. Al- 

 though the Allies have offered to buy 

 the patents, arrangements are already 

 being made whereby the United States 

 navy will secure them. 



