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OCCUPATIONAL RE-ESTABLISHMENT During the year, 113 cases of alleged refusal to reinstate discharged persons were dealt with, as against 42 in the previous year. In 39 cases it was found that no breach had been committed ; 16 cases were dealt with on the basis of payment of sums of money to the worker by the employer; 18 workers were reinstated in their former employment; and 2 prosecutions were instituted. In most of the remaining 38 cases the complainant requested that no further action be taken. One of the prosecutions was withdrawn, as the employer found an alternative position for the worker, while the other case was dismissed. The increase in the number of complaints was no doubt due to the recent large-scale demobilization of personnel from the Armed Forces. INDUSTRIAL EMERGENCY COUNCIL This Council was set up shortly after the outbreak of war to advise the Minister -of Labour on any matters arising out of the war emergency and pertaining to his office. During the year there were five meetings of the Council. In addition, the Hours Committee met on six occasions, the Apprenticeship Committee on four occasions, and a special committee set up by the Council to consider the question of an increase in the guaranteed weekly minimum wage of workers employed in essential undertakings met on four occasions. The following were among the principal matters dealt with by the Council during the year:— (a) Provision by an amendment to the Baking Industry Labour Legislation Suspension Order 1942 (Serial number 1942/134) for an increase in wages of female workers engaged in packing-rooms in the baking industry (N.Z. Gazette No. 26, 19th April, 1945, p. 418). (b) Fixing special conditions for employees of two tobacco-factories in Wellington (N.Z. Gazette No. 30, 3rd May, 1945, p. 464). (c) Amending the minimum weekly wage fixed for workers employed in essential undertakings (N.Z. Gazette No. 45, 28th June, 1945, p. 850). (d) Increasing the rates of pay provided under the Butchery Trade Labour Legislation Suspension Order 1943 and the Auckland Butchery Trade Labour Legislation Suspension Order 1943 for adult females employed on certain work in retail butchers' shops (N.Z. Gazette' No. 58,13 th September, 1945, p. 1147). (e) Increasing the rates of pay prescribed by the Grocery Trade Labour Legislation Suspension Order 1942 for female assistants (N.Z. Gazette No. 59, 20th September, 1945, p. 1171). (/) Increasing the rates of wages specified in the Orders enabling women over twenty-one without experience to be employed in clothing-factories (N.Z. Gazette No. 57, 6th September, 1945, p. 1127). At its last meeting held on 7th September, 1945, the Council decided, in view of the termination of hostilities, to recommend to the Minister of Labour that it be disbanded. The Council also recommended that certain Orders should be revoked forthwith and that others be continued for specified periods, when they should again be reviewed. These recommendations were adopted, and, of the 115 Orders issued by the Minister on the recommendation of the Council during the period of its existence, only 10 are still in operation, and these are reviewed from time to time to ascertain whether there is still a need for their continuation. ANNUAL HOLIDAYS ACT, 1944 This Act has now been in operation for more than a complete year and the Department is in the position to judge more clearly the manner in which it has been received and complied with by those concerned throughout the Dominion. Opposition to the Act and difficulties in its administration have been very slight. Many establishments again closed down over the Christmas - New Year period, aggregating the statutory and annual holidays. Special coverage of the position was made by officers of the Department to ascertain whether any evident inconvenience

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