H.—ll.

XVIII

it is to be sincerely regretted that the industrial peace has also been marred by tie coal-hi unfortunate strike at Blackball, which took place cm Hie 27th February hist. On this dale I «iis ito proceed to GfreymoutE l>v the Liner, 1 arrived af Blackball Bri Monday, thfc 2nd March, and met the miners' officials and the mine-managers the same evening. The following morning, at the invitation of the union. I met the men in a body, and pointed out to them that they had failed to take the proper and constitutional course, and that the Department was in duty bound to take steps to uphold the law. I made it perfectly clear to them thai when they becftme dissatisfied with the fifteen-minutes crib-time (which really means the time allowed for their midday meal) it was the union's duty to approach the management with a view to getting the time extended in an amicable way. If this mems had failed, then they should have requested the company's representatives to join them man application to the Arbitration ( lourt, with a view of getting a just settlement of the vexed question in a constitutional way. If tlii- course did not answer, then they could have appealed to this DfejiaTtinent, which would have made application to the Court for a ruling, taking care to ask both sides for their reasons in writing for or againei the request for an extension of time for the said meal. This would have been perfectly legal, and in strict accordance with the regulations laid down by tin; Court (vide Vol. iv, page 394, Book of Awards). I also drew the union's attention to the fact that it was in error in assuming that section .''7 of " The Coal-mines Act, 1905," as amended l>v section 2 of the Amend ment Act of 1907, limited the days' work tthderjjroiihd to eiglrl hours, and pointed out th.it ii section distinctly and ttttmistakably provided for owrtimr. proving most bbnfclttflvery that there is no such thiiig as a stai utoi v eiirhi -hours day in Rfew Zealand. I tried e\ ■ nable available means to bring about a termination of the strike. In my opinion, this is one of the most important functions of the Department. I reported the result of my investigation to you on the 4th March, and received instruct ions to take proceedings ftgattist the union the following day. On the (ith day of March application was made to the Court of Arbitration, then sitting at Christchiirch, and arrangements were hi once made by the Court for the hearing of the case on the I Ith March. The decision was given on the 13th of the Same month, and five dalys later the union was called upon by the local Inspector of Awards to pay the line. On receipt of the union's reply that they had no funds, I sent a final notice asking for payment forthwith, and the day after I got their further reply saying they had no funds the Crown Solicitor at Greymouth was instructed to issue a disu int. This was done with the utmost despatch the pince<s of law would allbw. The distress warrant was returned "No effects," and instructions were giv'eii to the Crown Solicitor to apply to the Arbitration Court for orders against tho men individually, which was done, also without delay, and the directions of the Court have been carried out. Two strikes eic'i of only a few minutes' duration occurred at Castlecliff and Aramoho Freezingworks. At ( astleclift the felhi" utde a demand for an iricrease of l.'.d. per hour, which was conceded under protest by the secretary of the Wanganui Meat Freezing Company ■ work was then resumed by the men. At A'umolio the cliauibermen made a demand for Is. Sα. per hour ordinary time and Is. od. per hour for overtime : this demand was also conceded under protest, the compau\ having work in hand that could not be delayed. As already stated, these strikes lasted only a few minutes. The men's explanation was that, a- I hey thought their union was defunct, they considered they were not liable under the Act. As no meeting of the union had been held for over twelve months. they were under the impression that the registration of their union had i n cancelled.* Servants' Registry Offices Act. The registry Offices' throughout the Dominion have, on rlw whol", been w '11 conducted, and vei v few complaints have n-aclied the Head Office". Great care has bfcOT) exercised in dealing with v pplieants for licenses under the Act. The mo-t ftefiotta complaint that come under my notice is in connection with a registry-otfice keeper who sent three Austrian* from Auckland to Tar;;naki to what he informed them would ho a twelve-months job, knowing well at the time the men left Auckland thai there was no definite engagements for the men in Taran;iki. When the matter was Wrought under the notice of the Department, and the registry-office keeper was asked for an explanation, he was full of regrets, and sent a cheque for £3 165., the amount reqUi Bfld the thre? men r-fares and the lees he had clinriied ihem. The ease w. us that the Department took action in the Stipendiary Magistrate's Court. The" I I and dismissed, the Magistrate ruling thtfi (here w fs no prmi.-ion in the Act to meet >ueh . .inion that under the Adi it was not necessary that there should be jobs for men to go to; BO long as the I tiee keeper was satisfied tin reasonable chance of th work m ■: they w it would suffice. This is certa i riotlfl defect, and should died with as little delay ■ In- an amendment to the i iw.

* I'rkuiuns have since been filed against these workers for breach of seotion 15 of "The Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act Amendment Aot, 1905."