H.—ll.

FACTORIES ACT. The following details bring up to date the table regarding the number of factories and the number of factory workers included in previous reports : —

Licenses were issued to 204 persons performing work elsewhere than in the factory. Increases in the number of workers have been reported each year since 1933-34. The following shows the increase in some of the individual trades : —

In last year's report attention was drawn to the reduction in the number employed in the motor and cycle engineering trade. A further decrease has taken place, and employment, which increased from 4,806 in 1933-34 to 8,399 in 1939-40, has now fallen away to 6,374 in 1941-42. The coach, motor, and tramcar building, motor trimming, and painting trade has also fallen off from 3,963 in 1938-39 to 2,289 in 1941-42. Rationing of petrol, also withdrawal of men, particularly for Air Force, units, have contributed to these variations. Localization of industry is distinctly marked throughout New Zealand. While on the one hand meat-freezing concerns are fairly well distributed, glass-manufacturing, plywood, wallboard (pulp), and pottery are practically restricted to the Auckland District. Boot-manufacturing is found in Auckland (1,759 workers), Christchurch (1,319 workers), Wellington (919 workers), and Dunedin (370 workers), with factories also in Wanganui and Timaru. Thus, while Dunedin ranks fourth in the number of workers in the boot-manufacturing industry, it holds premier place in the woollen-milling industry, Christchurch running it a close second, with. Wellington third, and Auckland lowest of the four chief towns. Of interest also is the distribution in respect of laundry-work, dyeing, and cleaning. In these trades Auckland City has 589 workers, Wellington City 474, Christchurch City 265, and Dunedin City only 73, a variation that is not wholly explained by the differences in population. Accidents. Details regarding the number of accidents in factories are not yet sufficiently tabulated to permit inclusion in this report. Each accident reported to the Department is carefully inquired into for the purpose of ascertaining that the worker's rights under the Workers' Compensation Act, 1922, are made known to him, also that any precautions possible are adopted so that accident risks for the future will be lessened. In doing this the Department performs a useful service to worker, employer, and the country generally. Accidents that have occurred in recent years on farms, also in the distributive trades, have suggested that it is not unreasonable that there be introduced a responsibility to report all accidents to workers in the course of their employment. Accidents in factories and building-work are already provided for, and probably also accidents in connection with machines, electrical hazards, and transport. This is a matter that will be brought forward for the consideration of the Legislature. A special investigation has been made of fire-escapes in factories in collaboration with the lopal authorities concerned. While the Factories Act, 1921-22, confers certain powers in this connection

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_ Number of Working Male Female Total * ear - Factories. Occupiers. Employees. Employees. Workers. 1941—42 .. .. .. 17,421 16,509 80,469 37,111 134,039

Total Workers. 1933-34 1941-42 Registration. Registration. Biscuit, confectionery, ice-cream cone, castor- and icing-sugar making .. 2,316 3,750 Boot, shoe, and slipper making .. .. .. .. 2,072 4,464 Clothing-manufacture (including dressmaking, millinery, hat and cap 11,294 18,415 making, shirt, white, and silk working, and tailoring) Engineering, general, iron and brass moulding, and rangemaking (including 3,579 7,868 agricultural, and dairying machinery and implement making) Glass-manufacturing .. .. .. .. • • • • 36 216 Match-manufacturing .. .. . • • • • • ■ • 143 234 Meat freezing, preserving, and canning, ham and bacon curing, gluemaking, 8,596 12,368 and boiling down Nailmaking .. .. • • • • • • • • ■ • 26 120 Paper-milling .. .. .. • • • • • • • • 184 382 Paint and varnish making.. .. .. •• •• 124 421 Porcelain-enamelled-goods manufacturing .. .. .. .. 30 99 Rubber-goods manufacturing .. . . . . •. • • 20 349 Sail, tent, canvas goods, cover, and oilskin making .. . . .. 180 390 Ship and boat building .. .. • • • • ■ ■ • • 300 _ 896 Woollen-milling, hosiery-manufacturing, and knitting. . .. .. 3,208 5,850