H.—ll.

AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS' ACCOMMODATION ACT (ACCOMMODATION FOR FLAXMILL AND SAWMILL WORKERS, ETC.). A total of 122 inspections were made under this Act at sawmills, flax-mills, &c., and 35 owners were required to carry out improvements to buildings, to provide new or to improve existing conveniences, to provide first-aid outfits, bathing-facilities, or to comply with other provisions of the regulations. SHEARERS' ACCOMMODATION ACT. The Inspectors of the Agriculture Department again carried out all necessary inspections under this Act. Owing to the financial position, it was deemed inadvisable to incur the expense of visiting some premises where the conditions were known to be good. However, a considerable number of inspections were made, and, where necessary, requisitions for improvements were served. Where only small improvements were necessary written requisitions were dispensed with, as verbal requests had the desired results. One prosecution was instituted. SCAFFOLDING AND EXCAVATION ACT. During the year 5,181 notices of intention to erect buildings and scaffoldings and to commence excavations were received, and 19,879 inspections were made. There were 15 prosecutions for breaches of the Act and regulations : Convictions, 14 ; fines, £19. The number of accidents that occurred during the year ending 31st December, 1930, is 393 (of which 5 were fatal). Of the 393 accidents, 374 were of a minor nature. It should be mentioned that the total includes not only accidents to workers on scaffolding or in connection with gear or excavations, but also all other accidents occurring in connection with building operations. Taking into consideration the hazardous nature of the work and the large number of workers involved, the number of accidents due to falls from scaffolds, ladders, or roofs is small—viz., 43. The numbers according to occupations are : Labourers, 163 ; carpenters, 128 ; painters, 19 ; steelworkers, 14 ; plasterers, 11 ; bricklayers, 9 ; plumbers, 5 ; unclassified, 44. The following are particulars of the fatal accidents reported : — (1) A worker was engaged assisting to shift a pile-driving derrick when one of the guy-wires he was holding came in contact with an 11,000-volt power line. (2) A contractor working on a scaffolding inside a garage fell a distance of 32 ft. on to the concrete floor, sustaining fatal injuries. It is thought that deceased was overcome by fumes from the exhausts of motor-cars. (3) A carpenter cut his thumb with his saw while ripping a piece of timber. Tetanus supervened. (4) A builder's labourer stepped upon the head of a 3 in. nail which protruded a quarter of an inch from a plank. As the sole of his boot was very worn,' the head of the nail pierced his foot. The worker died of tetanus. (5) A worker was engaged in erecting concrete-boxing on a set-off of a tower on the top of a building when a gust of wind caught the shutter. He overbalanced, and fell a distance of over 100 ft. to the street below. SERVANTS' REGISTRY OFFICES ACT. There are eighty-eight offices registered in New Zealand. Inspections are made from time to time to see that the Act is generally observed. RENT RESTRICTION. There were 120 applications received from tenants for inquiry (previous year, 170). The following table shows the results of the investigations (the figures in parentheses are those for the previous year) : —

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Number in which Rents dumber m which Rents demanded were reduced. demanded were deemed Total Number J ustlfied - Number m Placp of : ; which 110 ■. ,• ,■ At instance of u n * ± Proceedings Applications. B Department By By Department takcn / Court, without reference Court, without reference to Court. t0 CGurt ' Auckland .. 16 (9) .. 7 .. .. 9 Wellington .. 59 (109) .. 6 .. 6 47 Christchurch .. 19 (22) .. 8 .. 3 8 Dunedin .. .. 4 (9) .. 3 .. .. 1 Other towns .. 22 (21) .. 9 .. 4 9 120 (170) .. 33 .. 13 74 * For example, cases found to be outside scope of Act, proceedings not desired by complainant, &c.