II 11

XXII

merit, and although hard to enforce, owing to the great difficulty experienced in detecting offenders, it has had the effect of materially checking Chinamen and others who sell such goods from trading after tobacconists are closed. Chinamen principal offenders, and three wen' prosecuted and lined. 1 would recommend thai this amendment be extended to all trai I find upon i ion supplied to me in the course of the carrying-out of my duties as Inspect ■ very large number of shopkeepers in Wollingtqn are strongly in favour of closing—and many do close—their shops on Saturday afternoons in lieu of Wei and the opinion is expressed that, after becoming used to it, little inconvenience would be experienced by the public generally or the shopkeepers in particular. Friday could be made the late night, and by still exempting bakers, fruiterers, &0., from the half-day closing, and also such shops as butchers, Saturdays would, it is cm me, be found I uitable a day as any other. The annual returns show that there arfi I. |.8Q simps in the city and suliurlis, employing 2,609 males and 809 females. Thorough inspection has been made of all shops where female assistants are employed, and attention has been paid to the sanitation of such -hops and the sitting-accommodation provided for female workers. There were 24 convictions during the year, and 2 cases were dismissed (see " Legal Decisions"'). Servants' Registry Okfkt.s Ait. No trouble has been experienced in enforcing this Act. There were 13 licenses issued during the year, the offices in every case being well conducted. I find that since the amended scale of fees came into force employees are now being charged the full fee, and in most, instances the employers are not being charged at all. keepers say that employers would rather advertise for a servant than consult a registrv-ollicc keeper who charges, a fee lor supplying such servant. I have, &c, ('. I , ]. AI.UIUDGE, The Chief Inspectqr of Factories, Welljngton. Inspector of Factories. Sir, — Department of Labour, Wellington. 10th April, 1908. I have the honour to submit, for your information, my repori tor the year ending the 31st March, 1908. upon the general inspection in Wellington City and Suburbs of the various industrial awards and agreements in force and sr tie [ndusj iliation and Arbitration Act. The year has bee] idijlgly busy as the following digest of the work will plainly show : 656 separate investigations to alleged breaches committed, in addition to original inquiries made : [. pp i.(i a i yble showing results; and in it ai i 73 enforcements which overlapped from the pri yious year.

Table No. 1. —Analysis of Investigations made during year ending 31st March, 1908.

. , . Enforce- Interpreta- Cases settled „ , " Total Investments, tions tiled. out of Court. ,. .' , gat ions made. Aerated-water workers. &,-. .. .. ■ ■ 1 V cs 7 2 1 18 2* Bootmakers . . . . .. 2 . . . . 1 3 Bricklayers ...... I 1 2 7 11 Building trades 1 labourers.. IK .. 11 27 56 Butchers .. .. ,. 8 .- 3 r> 17 Carpenters .. .. .. 5 .. 5 11 21 Coachworkers .. .. .. ■ • I 8 Clinks and waiters' industrial agl 131 .. 18 1711 ment (to 11th November, L907) Cnnks mill w.liters (from 6th Janui 1 1 I 20 26 1908) Drivers 19 .. 35 30 84 Farriers. &c. .. .. .. 1 • ■ 3 4 Furnitutv trades . . . . '•» I 2 37 49 General labourers .. .. 2 2 13 12 29 Grocers 8 6 15 29 Letterpress printers and machinists.. 3 1 4 9 li Painters, Sec. 4 .. 4 15 23 Plasterers 4 .. 2 9 15 Plumbers \ 3 2 22 28 Tailoresses .. .. 2 1 12 11 29 Tailors 12 I 7 19 3? Timber-yards, &c. .. 3 1 <> 12 22 Tinplate-wprki 1 1 3, : » graphica) ...... 3 .. 2 7 Wharf-laDqurera .. .. 3 .. .. 1 4 Totals .. .. 250 141* 324 729-f * A sum of £133 14s. Id. was recovered and disbursed to payees. t Seventy-three oases overlapping from previous year tire included?in this total.