INQUISITORIAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1238, 21 September 1911, Page 8

INQUISITORIAL.

» A PROTEST BY EMPLOYERS. DEMANDS OP STATISTICIAN MODIFIED. Emphatic objection has been mado against the demand which was made by the Government for statistical information regarding the industries of the Dominion. As a result the schedules originally prepared have been withdrawn, and a new series greatly modified in character has been circulated among the proprietors of manufactories.

Power is conferred by Section 20ofthe Census and Statistics Act of last year upon tho Government Statistician to make inquiries approved by the Governor-in-Council in any census year regarding the industries 'of the Dominion. Similar information has beon compiled in connection with previous censuses, but the information required by the schedules which were prepared by the Government Statistician this year was so pertinent to tho private concerns of tho manufacturers that tho New Zealand Federation of Employers took action iu tho matter.

"Far too many details wero asked for," was tho explanation given by Mr. \t~. Pryor, secretary of the Federation, wlien interviewed yesterday afternoon. "The manufacturers were expected to give information which no business people should be asked to supply regarding their operations. It was feared that these details might become public, and that knowledge regarding particular businesses which it was not desirable should bo communicated to outsiders might alio become public. The federation appointed a sub-committee to discuss the matter with the Government Statistician, and the schedules have been modified to a large extent. Arrangements were also made by the federation for a consultation between employers representing tho various classes of industries and the Statistician, and the schedules which have now beon issued were approved by the employers. "The federation realises that reliable information that will bo of statistical value must be supplied," Mr. Pryor added. lie explained that the objection which had been made against the approved schedules was due to a misapprehension. Manufacturers considered that it was unnecessary for .them to supply details regarding the materials used, but as a matter of fact the Statistician did not ask for them. His request was that details should be given regarding the principal materials specified in the schedules, of which statistics would be readily compiled. Information regarding minor materials might bo lumped. The instructions merely asked that details should be given "whoa possible." A QUESTION IN PARLIAMENT. Mr. Russell asked the Minister for Labour in the House of Representatives yosterday w'tether he was awaro that the Labour Department are insisting upon an annual return from all factory-owners, giving the wages paid in each week of tho year to every employee, as well as their age, if under 45 years; if so, under what law was this harassing, vexatious, and expensive responsibility thrown upon employers, what was the object of it, and did he not consider such requirements likely to create a strong feeling against labour legislation?

The Minister for Labour replied: The returns referred to are being collected 011 my authority under the Factories Act and tho Labour Department, etc., Act, and the forms were drawn up after very careful consideration. 1 Those returns are not required annually. It is proposed to collect them in five-yearly periods. It has' bscn found that the usual 'annual form showing particulars of hands employed in different industries as on March 31 each year docs not Rive an adequate idea of the operations of those industries throughout the year, and in view of tho proposed inquiry into the question of unemployment insurance and cost of living, it is necessary for the Government to be in possession of reliable data showins the duration of employment in each industry, the wages paid from time to time, etc. I might add that separate particulars are not required for each week, only for each month, and then only in the cases of intermittent employment, it being sufficient to make ono entry for the whole period where any employe® has been regularly employed. I might also state that with few exceptions the whole of the returns bavo been received from factory-owners.