H.—ll

10

through its being caught in the stuffing-machine. A man employed in a joinery-factory lost three fingers of right hand through contact with knife of planing-machine. The remaining twenty-eight cases were of a slight nature. Ashburton. —A youth lost his left arm through being caught in the cogs of a pug-mill. Timaru (3). —A boy employed at a woollen-mill had his right arm severely lacerated through being caught in the machinery. A youth employed at a cycle-works had the thumb of right hand severely injured in a lathe. A young woman employed at the woollen-mills lost the forefinger of right hand through being caught in the cogs of a machine which she was cleaning. Dunedin (19). —A man employed at a cordial-factory lost his right thumb through being caught in fly-wheel of gas-engine. A man had his arm broken through being caught on a driving-belt of gasengine. A man employed at a range- and stove-factory lost an eye through being struck by a steel chipping. The remaining sixteen cases were of a slight nature, necessitating a few days' absence from work. Mosgiel (1). —A young woman in woollen-mill had her arm broken by being caught by the protecting-rod of her loom. Outram (1). —A man employed at a flour-mill had his arm broken through being caught by the belt whilst putting resin on the pulley to prevent the belt from slipping. Gore (3). —A man employed at a meat-preserving works had his left hand injured through being caught in the meat-pressing machine. A man employed in a blacksmith's shop had his arm badly lacerated by a drilling-machine driven by hand. A man employed at a fellmongery received severe injury to his eye through a bone rebounding from a beater and striking him. Winton (1). —A man employed at a sawmill had his hand jambed whilst engaged logging. The department receives exhaustive reports from Inspectors on all the accidents which occur, especially those which involve loss of life or limb, or any others of a serious nature, and it endeavours to work with the Inspectors of Machinery in insisting on the use of necessary safeguards in order to reduce as much as possible the risk to those persons employed about machinery. It is worthy of note that since the insistence of loose pulleys and mechanical belt-shifting appliances on the flaxmills in the Foxton district in June last there has not been a single accident, notwithstanding the fact that there has been considerable activity in the flaxmilling industry, and the number of mills have considerably increased in that particular district.

DISPUTES UNDEE THE INDUSTEIAL CONCILIATION AND AEBITEATION ACT DUEING THE YEAE 1899-1900. May, 1899. The following are copies of recommendations of the Boards of Conciliation in the Auckland carters' dispute, the Canterbury bakers and pastrycooks' dispute, the Canterbury carpenters and joiners' dispute, the Canterbury bakers' dispute, the Christchurch tailoring dispute, the Christchurch plumbers and gasfitters' dispute, the Dunedin wharf-labourers' dispute, the Dunedin painters' dispute, and the Kaitangata coal-miners' dispute ; also an agreement to abide by the Arbitration Court's award in the Dunedin tailoresses' dispute in March last: — Auckland Carters. Before the Board of Conciliation in the Northern Industrial District.—ln the matter of an industrial dispute between J. J. Craig and others and the Auckland Carters' Industrial Union. The Board, having heard evidence in tha above case, recommend as follows :—■ 1. That 7s. per day be the wage for drivers of drays and spring-carts with one or two horses, but that Messrs. Winstone, the New Zealand Express Company, J. J. Craig, Dunningham and Co., Chatfield and Co., and A. B. Wright and Sons be allowed two drivers at 6s. per day; Mr. W. Lovett to be allowed four drivers at 6s. per day during the currency of his present contracts. 2. That 7s. 6d. be the wage paid to drivers of wagons and trollies. 3. That drivers leave the stables by 7.30 a.m. and return to the stables at 6 p.m. If the carts are worked after 6 p.m. overtime shall be paid at the rate of Is. per hour, but that the conditions of this agreement shall not apply to Messrs. Winstone's present mail-contract, or to J. J. Craig's railway contract. That parcel-delivery carts shall be allowed to leave the stables at 8 a.m. and return to the stables by 7 p.m.; Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; overtime to be paid at the rate of Is. per hour after these hours. 4. That drivers leave the stables by 7 o'clock on Saturday mornings and return by 1.30 p.m. If the carts are worked after 1.30 p.m. overtime shall be paid at the rate of Is. per hour. 5. That on all statutory holidays drivers be paid their usual rate of pay, but drivers working with their teams on those days shall receive double rate of pay, excepting when engaged with picnic parties, when they shall receive 10s. in full payment for the day's work. 6. Drivers employed by nightsoil contractors shall work seven hours per day or night. The wages shall bo 9s. per day or night, overtime at the rate of Is. 6d. per hour, and on statutory holidays 18s. per day or night. 7. Employers providing leaders and driver for use of the Tram Company on statutory holidays shall pay suoh drivers 2s. 6d. extra. 8. Drivers employed by aerated-water manufacturers shall leave the stables by 7.30 a.m. and return to the stables by 5 p.m., excepting during the months of December, January, February, and March, when they shall leave the stables by 7 a.m. and return by 6 p.m.; Saturdays, to return to stables by 1 p.m. The conditions of this agreement shall not apply to the last three weeks of December and the first week of January in each year. When the statutory holidays are not given the drivers engaged in this trade shall receive an equivalent in time as may be agreed. 9. Carters whose business lies in outlying distriots shall not be brought under this industrial agreement unless they compete with the city employers; but, should they so compete, they shall pay the same wage and work the same hours, and generally comply with the foregoing conditions. 10. This industrial agreement to be in force from the Ist May, 1899, to the 30th April, 1901; and the penalty for any breach of this agreement shall be any sum not exceeding £10, recoverable before a Stipendiary Magistrate. Auckland, 14th April, 1899. A. If. Collins, Chairman.