H.—ll

VII

Factories. This Act is working very well. Employers and workers are apparently well satisfied with its provisions in general. A few beneficial amendments could be made to the general working of the Act, but lam aware these are already under consideration. I would, however, ask you to give prominence to the amendment of section 54, so as to enable female workers to get the benefit of the weekly half-holiday without having to make it up by working part of their luncheon-hour, or by overtime. I am pleased to report that very considerable improvements have been and are still being made by improving old and building new workrooms. After a short time the old and original factories will have given place to commodious and modern buildings. This year, 869 factories have been registered in this district, employing 7,869 hands—viz., 2,054 females and 5,815 males — being an increase on last year of nineteen factories and 619 hands. Permission to work overtime has been granted to 811 persons (14,302 hours), 129 males working 1,372 hours and 682 females, 12,930 hours. This extension is principally applied for at what is known as the busy time of the year —prior to the New Year holidays—and cannot well be avoided. As the conditions and payment are considered favourable, I think it is acceptable to both sides. During the year 403 permits were granted to young persons under sixteen years of age to work in factories (194 females and 209 males). There were thirty-two accidents reported and investigated, none being very serious. The majority were slight and purely accidental, and could not be attributed to faulty machinery. Prosecutions. Six charges were preferred against five owners, convictions being recorded in each case. Shops and Shop-assistants Act. The provisions of this Act are being carried out as well as can possibly be expected, and there is no apparent friction in its working, but I can only reiterate my former opinion—that it is far from perfect. As lam aware that the defects have been repeatedly brought under your notice by all the Inspectors who have had experience of the working of the Act, I trust you will endeavour to have it amended so as to make it workable and give general satisfaction. I wculd ask you to keep specially in view the necessity of having the weekly legal hours of work for females and young persons made continuous, so as to prevent them from being kept nightly up till 10 or 11 o'clock in shops where the owner wishes to do so. I also consider it was an oversight not to have included shop-assistants in the Payment of Boys and Girls Act as well as those employed in factories. As a matter of fact, shop-assistants required legislation on this point more than factory-workers, who were protected by their unions. Prosecutions. Ten charges were preferred against six owners, and convictions were recorded in each case. Servants' Registry Offices Act. Under this Act there are seventeen offices registered, being a decrease on last year of four. I am of opinion that the provisions of this Act are faithfully carried out, as complaints have dwindled down to almost nil. I have had many instances under my notice where the licensee has generously returned the fee if place or servant proved unsuitable. I would again ask you to have section 5 amended so as to give an Inspector some option in the renewal of a license. In conclusion, I beg to record my appreciation of the kindness and consideration I have received from all parties with whom my duties have brought me in contact, and the willingness to cheerfully abide with any suggestions I may make without questioning whether they could be forced or otherwise, and this has enabled me to act as intercessor in many instances to the satisfaction of all concerned without having recourse to extreme measures. I am, &c, H. Ferguson, Inspector of Factories. E. Tregear, Esq., Chief Inspector of Factories.

WELLINGTON. Sir, — Department of Labour, Wellington, 31st March, 1900. I beg to submit for your consideration my report for the year 1899-1900. Taken altogether, the year just ended has been very satisfactory. The factories have been kept fairly busy all the year through, and all branches of trade seem to have had a very satisfactory year, and to compare very favourably with previous years. The overtime evil is steadily increasing, and it appears impossible to check it. The employers complain about it, and blame the public, which they say will have what it wants, and when it wants it, without any regard to the convenience of the persons who have to do the work. The employers also say that they cannot get skilled hands (particularly in the tailoring trade) to do the work in the ordinary working-hours; yet I think if we had less overtime we would have more skilled hands employed than we appear to have at present —if there is any truth in the above statement as to the scarcity of competent workers. Ido my best to keep the evil in check, but yet it grows.