Mr. Robert Duncan, Chief Inspector of Machinery, Principal Engineer Surveyor of Steamers, and Chief Examiner of Engineers for the Colony, is a native of Arbroath, Scotland, where he was born on the 31st of December, 1857. He is the youngest son of Captain Alexander Duncan, shipowner, of Arbroath, and was educated at Arbroath High School. He served his apprenticeship at Messrs. Alexander Shanks and Son's engineering works. in his birthplace, completing his five years' apprenticeship in 1877. Subsequently he worked at Messrs. Lairds Bros'. shipbuilding and engineering works, Birkenhead, the Thames from Works and Shipbuilding Company, Limited, London, and at the Royal Iron Works, page 1499 London, E.C. While thus engaged Mr. Duncan pursued his studios diligently, gaining high certificates from the Government Science and Art Department, South Kensington, and at the Liverpool School of Science, in applied and theoretical mechanics, steam, inorganic chemistry (with laboratory practice), machine construction, and drawing and mathematics. In 1881 he joined the British India Royal Mail Steamship Company, serving nine months as fourth, eight months as third, and up to the early part of 1884 as second engineer, when he left their service to take up a shore appointment in the East Indies, which, however, he had to relinquish, owing to his health breaking down. Mr. Duncan arrived in Auckland at the end of 1884, securing an appointment as chief engineer in the Northern Steam Company. After two years he was appointed chief engineer of the South Sea Island Mail Service, in which he remained till June, 1890. In 1883 Mr. Duncan secured his chief engineer's Board of Trade certificate. On the 1st of June, 1890, he was appointed Junior Inspector of Machinery at Dunedin, being promoted in January, 1893, to the senior position. In February, 1896, he was appointed to the position he now holds. Mr. Duncan, who is an associate of the Australian Institute of Marine Engineers, was married in London, and has three sons and two daughters.