H.-ll

XXXVII

Casual Labour. Sixty-one men have been assisted to employment (hiring the year, 27 to Government co-operative works, and 34 to private employment. During the spring and summer months there were many complaints from employers as to the scarcity of both skilled and unskilled labour. lam convinced that a lot of this inconvenience and expense would be obviated if employees took advantage of the facilities afforded for the supply of labour by this Department, which, with its chain of communication throughout the Dominion, is in a much better position to supply labour than any private agency can possibly be. Factories Act. At the beginning of the year just ended a good deal of dissension existed amongst employers re the observation of the statutory holiday; this was due in a great measure to a misapprehension by those employers who were occupiers of both shops and factories combined that it was the intention of the Department to compel them to close both branches of their establishments on Saturday afternoon, the factories half-holiday. An explanation that the Department would not interfere with existing arrangements, but merely intended to enforce the existing Saturday lialf-holiday for factories, gave general satisfaction. The provisions of the Act have, on the whole, been well observed. Employers generally are evidently willing to conduct their businesses in accordance with the provisions of the Act, and where irregularities and breaches have occurred, they have been due, except in very few instances, to a lack of knowledge of the requirements of the Act. It is quite evident that employers do not appreciate the necessity of keeping proper time and wages books, or the advantage to both employers and employees of the issue of certificates of employment to young persons (Factories Act Amendment Act, 1905 "). Time and wages books in many cases have been kept in a very haphazard manner, and, although certificates have been supplied to employers by the Department, in many cases when the young people leave, their employers they are not supplied with them. The factories and workrooms in this district, speaking generally, are clean and well ventilated, and the sanitary arrangements are satisfactory. Employers evidently recognise that the success of their business depends to some extent upon the comfort of their employees. The wages paid to young persons are in most cases in excess of the amounts specified in the Act. The number of factories registered during the year was 140, employing 519 males and 76 females, while the wages paid amounts to £39,902 15s. 2d. There have been 23 prosecutions under the Act; 11 cases were withdrawn, and 1 was dismissed, convictions being recorded in the 12 remaining cases. There were, in addition, 4 cases settled out of Court. During the year 616 visits of inspection were paid to the various factories. 5,725 hours overtime have been worked during the year. Of this amount 2,851 hours have been worked by males and 1,818 hours by females. Accidents. Six accidents have been reported during the year. Fortunately, none of these were of a serious nature, and only one, in which a man had three fingers crushed between the rollers of a press, could be attributed to faulty designing in the erection of the machine. In all cases employers have been willing to make any reasonable alterations in their machinery for the better protection of their employees, and have taken a kindly interest in their employees when injured. Permits to Young Persons. Certificates of fitness to young persons (section 26 of " The Factories Act, 1901 ") have been granted tc 9 girls and 8 boys under the age of sixteen. Shops and Offices Act. The Act has worked very well, with the exception that shopkeepers, many of whom arc also factoryoccupiers, are dissatisfied with the proeont arrangement as regards the observation of the shops and factories holidays on separate days of the week. Most shopkeepers are decidedly of the opinion that the only satisfactory solution of the difficulty is the enforcement of a universal half-holiday throughout the Dominion for both factories and shops. The chemists, hairdressers and tobacconists, drapers and clothiers, and grocers have taken advantage of the provisions contained in section 21 of " The Shops and Offices Act, 1904," and are closing by requisition, by which a majority fixes the closing-hour in each trade. Returns were received from 188 shops, employing 193 males and 86 females, the wages paid for the twelve months being £17,704 15s. 6d. There were 17 prosecutions during the year and 13 convictions. 853 hours overtime have been worked by males, and 203 hours by females. Half-holiday to Hotel Employees. " The Shops and Offices Amendment Act. 1907." section 3, making it compulsory to grant a holiday on some working-day of the week to all hotel employees, was received by hotel keepers with some disapproval. The arrangement of the work amongst the employees in order to allow each of them to have their holiday was in some cases a very difficult matter, due in a great measure to the unwillingness of the employees to co-operate with each other in doing the work of the house. The arrangement is working more satisfactorily now, and there are no complaints from either employers or employees.