THE FACTORIES ACT.

Otago Witness, Issue 1933, 25 February 1892, Page 33

THE FACTORIES ACT.

With the view of obtaining information that might be of interest with respect to the working of the Factories Act, which came into operation at the New Year, a member of our staff waited yesterday upon tho Inspector of Factories (Mr T. K. Weldon), who courteously supplied him with the following particulars: —

During the month of January 84- applications for registration of factories or workrooms were received and duly recorded, and fees to the amount of LB4- were also received. For the present month, to date, 91 applications have been received, and therewith in tho shape of fees a sum of L7O has reached the inspector. Besides these applications, which were in duo order, 68 other applications were unaccompanied by fees, and, thus being informal, stand over. It seems to be thought by some occupiers of factories and workrooms that the fees aie nofc payable until the inspector makes his tour of inspection, but this is a mistake, aud until the omission of the payment of fees is rectified their applications cannot; bo registered. Notwithstanding that all applications for registration should have been mado last month, those that have been already received do not, in the inspector's opinion, represent more than about two-thirds of tho factories and workrooms ; but ho points out there must be a limit to the time within which they can bo accepted, and thereafter proceedings will have to be taken to enforce compliance with the act. Employers for the most part, however, evince every desire to bring themselves within the operations of the act and to comply with its provisions. Many of those who have not done so within tho prescribed time excuse themselves by stating that they did not know that the law applied to them, and that they had not read the act, and to them the inspector has always supplied full information, while others have either neglected to comply with the law or havo forgotten all about it. Under section 53 of the act, which provides that persons under the age of 16 shall not bo employed in a factory or workroom unless armed with a certificate of fitness- for employment, 350 certificates have been issued from the Ist Jauuary, when the act came into operation. It is interesting to know that the number of girls who have mado applications for certificates greatly exceeded the number of boys. During the short time the act has been in force only two accidents have called for inquiry, and in each case it appeared that the casualty was owing to negligence on the part of the employe. A few instances of non-compliance with the law as to the hours of labour and as to sanitary arrangements have been brought under the notice of tho inspector, but on his interference matters have been satisfactorily adjusted. Ninety-seven factories in Wellington are returned as employers of labour, the number of hands ranging from three to 116. The inspector of factories for Christchurch, Ashburton, and Waimate districts has registered 202 premises, mostly in the city of Christchurch, as factories. Forty applications have been referred back for various reasons. There are about 100 premises in the three districts for which applications have not yet been made. The inspection of premises in the city so far shows that several needed improvement in cleanliness and ventilation.