H.—ll.

It is noteworthy that on no occasion was it necessary to refer an application to the Court. In 33 cases out of the total of 120 the rents were reduced 011 the intervention of the Department, while in 74 others no action was taken. In the remaining 13 cases the landlord was considered entitled to the rent demanded. From the following table it will be noticed that during recent years there has been a considerable reduction in the number of applications received from tenants for inquiry :— Year. Number of Applications. 1926-27 . . .. .. .. .. 551 1927-28 .. .. .. .. .. 345 1928-29 .. .. .. 270 1929-30 .. .. .. . 170 1930-31 .. .. .. .. .. ..120 From the Ist May, 1928, the Rent Restriction Continuance Act, 1927, provided (1) that the standard rent shall be determined on the basis of 7 per cent, on the capital value of the dwellinghouse as at the date of such determination (instead of on the 1914 value), exclusive of rates, insurance, repairs, and depreciation (as before) ; (2) that the Act shall cease to operate except where, on the application of the tenant, a Magistrate otherwise orders ; in deciding the question the Magistrate shall have regard to the greater hardship that may be caused to either party concerned. By thejKent Restriction Act, 1930, the provisions were, further continued until the Ist August, 1931. These provisions will then expire unless further extended. FOOTWEAR REGULATION ACT. There were 3,052 general inspections made throughout the Dominion under this Act, and stocks of footwear were carefully examined. By arrangement, made with the Customs Department all imported footwear is promptly examined in the Customs-shed before being released. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ACT. The regulations under the Act provide for the reverification of weights, measures, and weighing and measuring instruments in use for trade purposes. This work was again carried out during the year, and the articles so dealt with, together with new weights, &c., verified, are summarized hereunder :—

In addition to the reverification work referred to, the Department has carried out surprise tests of appliances on the owner's premises, 11,381 visits being made to business premises in this connection. The net-Weight and standard-weight provisions of the regulations also received attention, 1,954 visits of inspection being made. There were 31 prosecutions for various breaches under this Act, convictions being obtained in 30 cases, and fines amounting to £41 being imposed. Verification fees earned totalled £8,935 6d. lid. (previous year, £9,223 2s. Id.) ; decrease, £287 15s. 2d. During the period the following twenty-one new designs of weighing and measuring instruments were submitted under clause 4, Part IT, of the regulations for approval for use for trade in the Dominion, viz. :— Weighing — Milk-weighing scales .. .. .. ~ .. .. 1 Self-indicating (counter and platform) scales .. .. .. .. 8 Personal-weighing machines .. .. . . .. .. .. 5 Measuring— Petrol-pumps and equipment .. .. .. .. .. 5 Drum-filling instruments .. .. . . .. .. .. 1 Flow-meters .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 Total .. .. .. .. ..21 Of these, 15 have been approved, 2 rejected, and 4 are still under consideration. Tests were made from time to time during the year to ensure that the provisions of the Sale of Food and Drugs Act were being complied with in respect of the weight of "bread/and in only two or three cases was it found necessary to institute proceedings. The Department is in touch with other countries with a view to preventing appliances possessing objectionable features, and which may have been rejected in other countries, from being dumped into the Dominion.

7

Submitted. Incorrect. | Percentage of In- ! accurate Appliance?. Weights .. .. .. .. 35,557' 5,478 15-4 Measures .. .. .. .. 10,959 176 1-6 Weighing-instruments .. .. .. 22,366 2,728 12-2 Measuring-instruments .. .. .. 6,525 1,986 30-4 Bottles —milk, cream, or oil .. .. 88,788 1,388 1-6 164,195 11,756