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Nos. 44, 43, 45, 81, 62, 92, 610, and 12.--Petitions of Fred Pratt and 111 Others, Charles H. Winny and 101 Others, Ah Lop and 4 Others, T. H. Butterfield and 10 Others, E. M. Parrott and 5 Others, Chables Bryson and 109 Others, Dennis Bros, and 47 Others, L. E. Bell and 700 Others. All the above petitioners represent that the present Shops and Offices Act Amendment Bill will be injurious to their trade if passed in its present form. The Labour Bills Committee, having fully considered the matter embodied in these petitions when dealing with the Shops and Offices Act Amendment Bill, have the honour to report that they have no recommendation to make. 15th August, 1905.

Workers' Compensation for Accidents Bill. The Labour Bills Committee, to whom was referred the above-mentioned Bill, have the honour to report that they have considered the same, and have taken evidence thereon; and recommend that it be allowed to proceed, with the amendment as shown tin the copy attached hereto; and further report that the Committee is surprised that Supplementary Order Paper No. 25, containing the proposed new clause 4, has not been referred to them. 23rd October, 1905.

Factories Act Amendment Bill. The Labour Bills Committee, to whom was referred the above-mentioned Bill, have the honour to report that they have considered the same, and taken evidence thereon; and recommend that it be allowed to proceed as printed. 23rd October, 1905.

Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill. The Labour Bills Committee, to whom was referred the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill, have the honour to report that they have carefully considered the same, and taken evidence thereon; and they recommend that the Bill be allowed to proceed, with the amendments as set forth in the copy attached hereto. 25th October, 1905.

Nos. 616, 617, 618, 619, 620, 621, 622, 623, 633, 634, 635, 636, 637, 638, 639, 646, 648, 649, and 652. —Petitions of W. J. Cunningham and 76 Others, G. Henderson and 1,113 Others, A. C. Innis and 899 Others, F. F. McCausland and 384 Others, W. McDougall and 599 Others, W. H. Ohme and 100 Others, E. V. Price and 3,850 Others, E. Till and 125 Others, E. B. Aitken and 541 Others, A. E. Andrews and 554 Others, J. Goodall and 40 Others, T. W. McCune and 38 Others, J. H. Pay and 269 Others, E. E. Pichlis and 1,081 Others, J. Thompson and 359 Others, B. S. Nicholas and 34 Others, A. J. Roberts and 76 Others, L. Willis and 593 Others, and A. Kosseb and 107 Others. Petitioners pray that your honourable House will be pleased to take steps to prevent the establishment in this colony of a huge trust whose methods and operations, not being subject to labour laws akin to those of New Zealand, will be detrimental to the best interests of the workers of this colony. The Labour Bills Committee, to whom was referred by your honourable House the above petihave the honour to report that the matter involved is one of policy, and they refer the matter to the earnest consideration of the Government. 26th October, 1905.

Final Report. The Labour Bills Committee have the honour to present their final report for this session for the information of your honourable House. The following five Bills have been considered and reported on: (1) Shops and Offices Act Amendment, (2) Factories Act 1901 Amendment, (3) Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment, (4) Factories Act Amendment, (5) Workers' Compensation for Accidents. Twenty-one petitions (with 1,603 signatures) were received by the Committee on the Shops and Offices Act Amendment Bill, and nineteen (with 10,857 signatures) in connection with the Harvester Trust —a total of forty petitions, with 12,460 signatures. The total number of meetings was thirty (including three sub-committees), and the number of divisions recorded was twenty-eight; while 239 witnesses attended the various meetings. The number of members on the Committee, and able to attend, this session was twenty, and the average attendance for the twenty-seven meetings was 13 - 3. 26th October, 1905.

Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, not given; printing (1,425 copies). £1 6s.

Authority: John Mackat, Government Printer, Wellington.—l9os.

Price 3d.]