H—ll

(2) There were 580 awards and industrial agreements in force on 31st March, 1950. This figure is a decrease of 35 from the total of 615 at 31st March, 1949. (b) Conciliation Commissioners (1) The work performed by the three Conciliation Commissioners during the yearis indicated below, together with a comparison of the work performed by them in theprevious year : 1948-49. 1949-50. Disputes where complete agreement reached . . 131 107 Disputes where substantial agreement reached 12 9 Disputes where partial agreement reached 49 66 Disputes where no agreement reached .. 2 1 Disputes where sittings were not complete or had been adjourned .. .. .. 22 10 Disputes where claims were withdrawn .. 14 4 Meetings of disputes committees set up under provisions of awards .. .. .. 24 33 Conferences called under Industrial Relations Act, 1949 .. .. .. .. .... 1 Other conferences, &c. .. .. 22 8 (2) Under the Industrial Relations Act, 1949, power is given to a Conciliation' Commissioner, in certain circumstances, to call a compulsory conference of the parties involved in any issue which in his opinion is not specifically provided for in any award or industrial agreement, in an endeavour to secure a settlement. During the year the Conciliation Commissioner in Auckland called such a conference of the parties to a dispute at the Portland Cement-works, and this dispute was eventually settled in Conciliation Council proceedings. (c) Registration of Industrial Associations and Unions The return required by the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act showing the number of affiliated unions in each industrial association and the number of members in each industrial union as at 31st December, 1949, is appended (see Appendix II). The following figures summarize this return :

(d) Labour Disputes Investigation Act, 1913 There were 16 agreements filed under this Act during the year, the same number as those filed last year. On the 31st March, 1950, there were 17 such agreements in force (last year, 16).

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— 31st December, 1948. 31st December, 1949. Number. Membership. Number. Membership. Employers' associations 22 150 • 21 145 Employers' unions 277 17,811 282 18,396 Workers' associations .. .. 35 186 36 192 Workers' unions 374 271,100 372 275,977