H.—ll.

Table 2. — Enforcements filed during the Year ending 31st March, 1909.

. Sir, — Department of Labour, Wellington, 14th April, 1909. I have the honour to submit, for your information, my report as follows for the year ending the 31st March, 1909 :— During the period under review I have visited the factories throughout various parts of the Dominion where women workers are employed, and have found that almost without exception the provisions of the Factories Act have been well observed by those carrying on business which brings them within the scope of this Act. It is also satisfactory to state that, whenever it has been necessary to order improvement in the conditions under which the work was conducted, I have found employers quite willing to comply with my requests. During the year I have given close attention to the question of overtime generally, and more especially as to the extent to which the provisions governing the issue of overtime permits for women and young persons are adhered to. I find that they have been satisfactorily complied with. I have not detected any instance of workers suffering in health in any way through being ('ailed upon to work the additional time allowed by permit. In some instances I considered the workrooms visited were not sufficiently heated in view of the extremely cold weather so frequently experienced in winter. On attention being called to the matter the conditions were at once improved. I am able to say, speaking of the factories and workrooms of the Dominion as a whole, that the general conditions for those working in them were never in a more satisfactory state as regards lighting, heating, ventilation, and general sanitary arrangements. Strict attention and supervision have been exercised in the matter of the rates and also under the various awards of the Arbitration Court covering trades where women are employed. Under the Cooks and Waiters' awards a large number of hotels, restaurants, and tea-rooms have recently been visited, and careful inquiry made into the matter of wages, hours, sleeping-accommodation, &c, with satisfactory results. Shops and Offices Act. • This Act has worked satisfactorily throughout the year. There are only one or two of its provisions which there is any difficulty in getting duly observed. One is the clause relating to seating-accommo-dation for assistants. Some employers point to the chairs on the customers' side of the counter, and say that the girls are free to use these when there is not a rush of work on ; while, on the other hand. assistants often say that if caught sitting down in these chairs they wou'd be discharged. Another difficulty is as regards the payment for overtime. Many employers, when engaging assistants,.hold out as an inducement a system of bonuses on sales as a means of adding to salary. This system is no doubt a satisfactory one in principle, but when overtime is worked, and an Inspector of this Department has occasion to inquire into the question of payment for same, he finds that the sums

XXXII

Award. Total Cases filed. i lonvicted. Dismissed. With- „. drawn. F,nes - ( 'ourt of Arbil; I 'ration. £ s. d. Aerated-water workers Bakers Butchers Building-trades' labourers Carpenters Cooks and waiters Grocers Letterpress-printers' machinists .. Painters j Plasterers Saddlers Tailoresees Typographers Wharf labourers 1 1 11 9 9 27 1 2 3 I 1 J 6 1 1 I II 4 2 9 26 1 I I 3 I 1 .. i I 3 2 I 5 0 0 13 K) 0 3 4 0 0 8 0 0 1 22 0 0 5 0 0 3 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 1 2 0 0 n 64 5 5 66 10 0 i Magistrate's C( \mrt. Builders' labourers Butchers Cooks and waiters Furniture trades Painters Plumbers 4 6 4 " 1 2 1 4 ! !■.-:: l 2 l ■; .'53 0 0 35 10 0 14 10 0 10 0 0 13 0 0 10 0 0 33 0 35 10 14 10 10 0 13 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18 is 116 0 0