H.-n

XV

The engineering trade in most branches has been fairly satisfactory, and must improve year by year as the prosperity of the district demands it. The amount of overtime worked in factories has again been very large, and is as follows: 945 males over sixteen years of age worked 112,448 hours; 1,413 women and boys under sixteen years of age worked 40,144 hours. The total number of hours worked by the 2,358 persons is 152,591. During the period 496 permits have been issued to young persons to work in factories —250 boys and 246 girls. Of the boys, 74 passed the Fourth Standard, 70 the Fifth, 106 the Sixth. Of the girls, 71 passed the Fourth, 96 the Filth, and 79 the Sixth. There have been sixteen prosecutions under the Factories Act during the period. AcC£DKNTS. There have been 92 accidents reported during the period, 2 of which were fatal, 21 were serious, and 69 of a slight nature, incidental to general work in a factory. The greatest care had been taken to protect all machintry and belting, so as to minimise the risk to employees and all who have access to the machinery. In all cases where guarding was necessary and requested to be done it was attended to promptly. "Shops and Offices Act, 1904." This Act has met with a great deal of opposition. Like all other reforms it was condemned in its infancy by those who knew little of the Act itself. There are many good points in this Act, some of which ars urgently required. Other sections with a slight amendment must make it acceptable to the masses. At first fruiterers considered it would mean ruin to their business, but after a short trial found it would improve their condition, and now ask to have the half-holiday in their business. Section 3 did not at first meet with the approval of shopkeepers, but when its provisions became better understood many who were opposed to it are now in its favour, and are now seeking for the early closing of shops. With a few exemptions this clause would meet with general approval. Section 15, defining exempt shops, was much needed, and gives satisfaction. Servants' Registry Offices Act. This Act continues to work satisfactorily. The only complaints are from registry-office keepers, who complain of the difficulty in getting suitable girls to fill places vacant from time to time. A very noticeable feature is that good domestic servants will not stay long where they do not get the treatment they deserve, and the time is not far distant when mistresses will realise that they must give their servants the liberty that they, as human beings, have a right to expect. Some office-keepers have adopted a system of only charging the fees to the servant. This is done in order to get hold of business. I am therefore of opinion that the system of charging fees to persons seeking employment is not the best, and the foregoing is a proof. It often occurs that the position or situation is not worth the fee paid for securing the same. It must be admitted the employer in most cases is more able to pay the fees than the servant, and the expense of going to and returning from the situation is, in most cases, charged by the employer against the servant. It has come under my notice that when the cost of fare, (fee, has been worked out the servant is discharged, and, therefore, left without means of support or enough money to return to her home, if she is fortunate enough to have one. I, therefore, think the Act should be amended so that the party looking for work should have no fee to pay. Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. This Act is acknowledged to be what was much needed both for employer and employee. It is working very well, and it has the effect of doing away with the unfair trading, and tendering for jobs at less than a fair price, thus enabling the contractor to pay for the material and for the workers' wages : but, at the same time, the Act must be administered so as not to cause friction between employer and employee. This I have endeavoured to do. There are still those who argue that this Act does away with energy and merit, and therefore leads to idleness. But most employers honestly admit that this Act has been and is a great benefit to employer and employee alike. The prosecutions under this Act have no doubt been large, but, in most cases, these steps were only taken when all others failed, and the number of prosecutions is fast decreasing, for employers are making themselves acquainted with the agreement or award by which they are bound. Unskilled Labotth. During the year just ended 239 men, with 510 depending on them, have found employment on Government and private works through this branch of the Department. There has been a shortage of employment at different periods during the year, but this was brought about by the temporary stoppage of the eleclric-tramw;iy construction and the drainage-works. On the whole work has been more plentiful than during the previous year. At times the large numbers arriving from the Old Country and the different colonies had the tendency of temporarily flooding the labour-market, but ihose who were desirous of getting employment, if they could not find it in the city, readily found what was required in the country districts. It