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we think there is no reason for the change. However, the alteration of the word "Inspector" to " Minister of Labour" may not mean exactly what we think; but that is our opinion, that the Chief Inspector of Factories should produce the report of the factories, as he does in the meantime. The words " Minister of Labour " have been placed instead of the words " Inspector of Factories " in the new Bill. 99. The Chairman.] Do you approve of all the other sections of the Act that you have not mentioned ?—-Yes. Mr. A. H. Cooper examined. (No. 35.) In reply to the Chairman's invitation to state his views on the Bill before the Committee, Mr. A. H. Cooper, another member of the Wellington Trades and Labour Council, said : I indorse what Mr. Naughton has said, and would just like to point out one matter in connection with the forty-four hours per week. lam a bootmaker, and, of course, it has been stated by the employers in my trade that if the hours were shortened it would mean the output would be reduced, and consequently the employers would suffer. I might say that I think that can be proved to be contrary to fact. In a recent case before the Arbitration Court in Christchurch it was absolutely proved that in Auckland there are seven or eight boot-factories which have always worked forty-four hours and some one or two forty-five hours per week. It was also proved by a list of the names and a list of the wages given to the Court that the men were receiving the highest wages in several instances. The names and amounts of the wages paid were given, and the representatives of the Auckland manufacturers could not contradict one single item of the lists submitted to the Court, and, although they had been working under an arbitration award in Auckland which fixed the hours at forty-six, the manufacturers there saw no reason to change from forty-four or forty-five, and are still working under these hours. I believe an instance in reference to this question of hours has already been given by a representative of my own trade in Christchurch. He spoke of certain ironworks on the Thames Eiver, and of the success that has attended the eight-hours system there. I might also refer to a large flour-mill owned in Russia, where the system prevails. In this case the man had worked his mill at ten hours per day for a large number of years, but some two years ago he adopted the eight-hours system, and in giving the result of his first year's work under this system he is more than pleased with the result. He finds his employes are more physically able to do a fair day's work than previously. The output for the year under his new system has been published in the local Age, and the output for the eight hours exceeds in every instance the output of the ten hours. Mr. D. McLaren examined. (No. 36.) In reply to the Chairman, Mr. D. McLaren, another representative of the Wellington Trades and Labour Council, said he agreed with what the other members of the Trades and Labour Council had said. 100. Mr. Hutcheson.] You are employed in the Government Printing Office, Mr. Naughton, are you not? —Yes. 101. And you are president of the Wellington Trades and Labour Council, are you not?— Yes. 102. How long have you been in the Government Printing Office ?—About ten years. 103. Is the Government Printing Office subject to the conditions of the Factories Act?— Yes. I think there are rather better conditions there than outside—in my own trade, anyway. The Inspector comes through the office and certainly inspects it as a factory. 104. Do they work any overtime in the Government Printing Office just now ?—Yes ; they do in the printing department. lam a bookbinder. We never work overtime. 105. Do they work overtime in the kindred trades—type-setting, for instance ?—Yes; they work overtime during the session. 106. In the face of this Bill becoming law, do you think the Labour Department would insist upon the provisions of the Act applying to the Government Printing Office ? For instance, in the case of printers during the session—that is, as regards the restriction of overtime in clause 19, and the number of hours: are they likely to break away from it ?—I do not think they would. I think they would work in shifts. I think that is practically what is done now. They only work 44J hours now. 107. Do you think it likely, whatever interpretation was put upon the law as regards private employers, that that would also be imposed inviolably and fairly on the Government Printing Office? —I think that men would be working overtime there in a case like that. At any other time of the year except during the session there is very likely no overtime worked in the Government Printing Office at all. But when the session comes on Hansard must be printed, and, of course, it is necessary to take on additional hands. One portion of these hands work in the night-time and one portion in the day-time. The Act would not affect the Government Printing Office in any way. 108. Most of the witnesses who have given evidence say they have certain seasons and certain exigencies in their particular trade, and that they want a certain amount of elasticity to meet that. The same would obtain in the Government Printing Office; it has its season, the session ?—Yes. 109. Most of us will believe that the Government Printing Office would simply go on their way without any operations of any labour laws. Do you think all the Government employes ought to be subject to the labour laws?— Personally, I do. There is a difference of opinion in the Trades Council about that. There we are divided on the matter ;at any rate, we are not absolutely satisfied that it would be better for the Printing Office to be under the Act. I know that the leaders of the Council, with the exception of myself, are very strongly in favour of the Printing Office employes coming under the Act. But, so far as I have heard and seen, we have not seen any reason