H.—ll

Inspections, Etc. Inspectors paid 13,761 visits of inspection to factories during the year, as compared with 12,500 during the previous year. Prosecutions numbered 38, in 37 of which convictions were obtained. No case calls for comment; fines totalling £80 7s. were imposed. During the year complaints were received respecting 188 specific alleged breaches of the Act, resulting in 8 prosecutions and 104 warnings ; while 1,251 other breaches were discovered by the Inspectors themselves, for which 30 prosecutions were instituted and 1,193 warnings were given, the latter breaches being either first offences or of a minor nature. No action was considered necessary in the remaining cases. There were 750 requisitions served to comply with various requirements of the Act, such as for limewashing, safeguards for workers employed on machinery, &c., sanitary conveniences, fire-escapes, heating-appliances, ventilation, lighting, first-aid appliances, washing and drinking water, and diningrooms in the case of establishments employing over six women and girls and boys under sixteen. SHOPS AND OFFICES ACT. Visits of inspection to the number of 15,681 were made during the year, as compared with 13,510 for the previous year. Prosecutions numbered 380, and convictions were obtained in 373 cases. The sum of £694 19s. Bd. in fines was imposed. No case calls for special comment. During the year complaints were received respecting 359 specific alleged breaches of the Act, resulting in 57 prosecutions and 156 warnings ; while 1,461 other breaches were discovered by the Inspectors themselves, for which 323 prosecutions were instituted and 1,099 warnings were given, the latter breaches being of a minor nature or first offences. No action was considered necessary in the remaining cases. One hundred and five requisitions were served on occupiers of shops to comply with various requirements of the Act, such as for cleansing, sanitary conveniences, heating-appliances, ventilation, and drinking-water. The records show 24,961 shops throughout New Zealand, of which 12,214 (approximately onehalf) were carried on without assistants. In the shops with assistants there were employed 20,029 males and 19,781 females. INDUSTRIAL CONCILIATION AND ARBITRATION ACT. 1925-26. Industrial agreements filed .. .. .. .. .. .. 21 Recommendations of Councils of Conciliation .. .. .. ..118 Awards of the Court of Arbitration .. .. .. .. . . 109 The awards and industrial agreements actually in force on the 31st March, 1926, total 489 (last year 488). The " Dominion " awards made during the year have had the effect of reducing the total number of awards for the trades concerned previously in existence in the various districts by sixteen.

Work performed by Commissioners and Councils of Conciliation during the Year.

The above figures would indicate that 91-7 per cent, of the disputes dealt with by the Commissioners and Conciliation Councils were settled or substantially settled by them, but it should be noted that in some cases the settlements reached merely follow upon recently made awards of the Court, or settlements through Commissioners or Councils in the same or similar industries elsewhere.

5

Commissioner Commissioner i Commissioner , r , , P. H ally. W. Newton. W. H. Hagger. Iota1 ' Industrial agreements arrived at and filed as such 5 2 18under section 26 by parties through the Commissioner alone Disputes dealt with by Conciliation Councils — Where industrial agreements were filed under sec- 5 2 .. 7 tion 26 Where recommendations were fully accepted and 14 15 40 69 forwarded to the Court to be made into awards Where recommendations were substantially ac- 12 13 13 38 cepted or agreements reached and referred to Court to make awards Where only minor recommendation or no recom- 4 5 2 11 mendation was made Totals .. .. .. 40 37 56 133