Untitled

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5408, 27 July 1878, Page 2

The report o£ the commissioners appointed by his Excellency tho Governor to inquire into the operations of an Act entitled the JSmployinent of Females Act, 1873, was among the papers laid on the table of,tho House yesterday. Tho commission sat ten days, and examined fortyone persons, thirteen of whom wore employers of labor, twenty-five employes, Mr. Mollard, tho Inspector of Police in Dunedin, and Messrs. Connell and Lowry, Inspectors of Nuisances. The adult women testify, according to the report, that the law has worked a favorable change ns to their'oomtort and independence, and flioy oppress gratitude to tho Legislature” fpr fho protection given them in limiting tlieir hours of labor, mid tho consequent improvement to their social condition and physical health. The commisaione'rfj wore unanimous in opinion that the working hours in a week should bo forty-eight, ond not fifty-four, as desired by some of tho employers and employes. It appears'that the system of inspection is Inefficient to ensure compliance with tho Act, and that tho violators of the law « have had their offences practically condoned by nominal fines,” tending to make tho law a dead letter. This should ho guarded against by making tho minimum penalty of forty shillings imperative for a breach of tho provisions” of tho Act; while a neglect to comply with the registration section should entail a minimum fine of ten pounds. Tho ventilation in many workshops is found to be insufficient, and it is recommended that the cable contents

of the work-rooms should be proportioned by law to - the number of persons employed iu them ; but the commissioners do not express any opinion as to the area that should be allowed for health, an omission that may be considered unfortunate ; bub it being an unpaid commission the commissioners could not call scientific evidence on this head, and the omission wjll now have to be supplied byinquiry from experts. The sanitary arrangements are also found to be defective, and from the report it is evident that farther and more complete legislation on the subject is required. The commission, in fact', died an untimely death, on account of its unpaid character, for on the eighth day it was decided that no further evidence should be taken, as the usual practice of remuneration had been departed from.

The finance committee laid before the City Council On Thursday a statement showing the present pecuniary condition of the Corporation. The: report was published iu our issue of yesterday, and will, we think, be generally regarded as showing a satisfactory state of affairs. There is on hand a sum of .£48,000 available for drainage purposes, whicli will be as much, says the report, as the Corporation can spend within a year. The overdraft on general accounts is £20,934 11s. 6d., including £3129 ss. 2d. paid on account of the new Corporation offices. Tho unexpended balances are as follows:—Drainage account,■ £46,287; waterworks, £13,253; wharf extension, £2062 9s. 4d. ; wharf tolls, £2Ol os. 3d. ; cash received from the wharf trustees —sinking fund, £521 10s Id; bonds, £2300.. The liabilities of the Corporation for contracts now in progress are £11,760 10s. Bills will be introduced during the present session to enable tho Corporation to raise £150,000 for tho To Aro reclamation, and for powers either to sell a suflicientpurtiou of theThorndon reclamation to pay for its purchase from the Government,orto borrow £IOO,OOO for that purpose. It is estimated that when the reclaimed land both at Te Aro and Thorndon is leased a revenue of £38,750 will be realised. It is not at present proposed to raise further sums on loan. There is every prospect, therefore, of the Corporation being shortly placed in possession of a splendid property, and when the long-contemplated drainage scheme is carried out and the available flat land on the foreshore utilised, a great and lasting improvement will he effected, which will tend to make Wellington one of the most pleasant and healthy places of residence in the colony. The Mayor and Corporation may certainly be congratulated on the general condition and prospects of the city. '