H.—ll.

An analysis of the oases taken under this Act shows that the principal offences were as follows : — -.. . , ~, Number of Nature of Offence. Cases taken Failing to allow weekly half-holiday . . .. .. .. . . 34 Failing to pay wages within the time allowed by the Act . . .. .. 27 Failing to keep time and wage books .. . . . . .. 11 Employing persons under sixteen without a permit .. . . 11 Employing assistants overtime without permit .. . . . . 10 Failing to grant statutory holiday (Labour Day) .. .. .. . . 8 Failing to keep register of employment . . .. . . .. .. 7 Failing to report accidents within forty-eight hours . . .. . . 6 Employing boys under fourteen years in a factory . . .. .. 4 Failing to register premises .. .. .. . . . . . . 4 Failing to pay overtime rate of wages .. . . .. . . 4 For other offences .. .. .. . . . . .. 24 A total of 150 eases were taken before the Court under the provisions of this Act —a slight decrease on the number recorded last year (156). In 141 cases convictions were obtained. For details of the principal eases, see " Important Legal Decisions." During the year there were 80.'! accidents in factories, as against 577 last year. This is rather a large increase, but it is pleasing to say that the majority of the accidents were very slight. In 216 cases they were moderate— i.e., they prevented the worker from following his or her employment for a period exceeding fourteen days, but without causing loss of limb or permanent injury; and in 13 cases the injuries were of a serious nature, involving loss of limb or eyesight, or otherwise permanently injuring the worker and impairing his industrial efficiency. The fatal cases numbered 4 ; three employees in sawmills were killed, and one employed in the engineering-room of a gas-factory died suddenly through a strain sustained during his employment. The table hereunder shows the accidents which occurred during the year in each industrial district :—

Shops and Offices Act. There is still a good deal of dissatisfaction amongst cooks and waiters in the Dominion, owing to the fact that section 23 of the Act (providing for weekly half-holiday) is limited to employees in licensed hotels. Many of these workers —such as porters, kitchen, pantry, and general hands in private hotels and restaurants —are not provided for in respect to the statutory half-holiday, and no weekly hours are fixed except where an award of the Arbitration Court or industrial agreement is in force. The keeping of a wage and time book should be compulsory under this Act, on similar lines to the provisions in the Factories and the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Acts. There were 216 offences under this Act. In all, 198 convictions were obtained, and 18 cases were dismissed. The breaches committed were as follows :— Number. Failing to grant weekly half-holiday to assistants . . .. . . . . 52 Failing to close shops in terms of requisition from a majority of the shopkeepers fixing their own closing-hours .. .. .. .. 49 Failing to close shops on statutory half-holiday .. . . .. 42 Employing assistants overtime without permit .. .. . . 37 Employing assistants more than fifty-two hours per week . . .. 20 Failing to pay overtime . . .. .. .. . . 10 Other offences. . .. .. .. .. . . .. 6

XXI

Industrial District. Slight. J Moderate. Serious. Fatal. Total. Jo them . . . . Wanaki V r cllington larlborough Jelson !anterbury )tago and Southland Totals .. 156 63 10 2 156 47 1 1 ..4 6 4 4 117 II 122 49 570 216 5 1 225 12 2 I 206 2 10 1 .. 9 2 .. 163 3 2 176 13 4 803 i i