H.—ll

XXXIV

Workers' Compensation Act. Many applications for information are received from persons who have met with accidents, Ac In every case of accident can- is taken to advise workers of the provisions of the Act. Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration A< r. The administration of this Act has, as usual, caused a considerable amount of work; but I am pleased to be able I" sa\ that there has been no friction, both employer and employee having shown commendable fairness ami moderation regarding any breaches that have occurred; ami this has made the work much more agreeable than would otherwise have been the ease. Under-rate workers' permits have been issued as follows: Carpenters, 11; furniture trade, 7; canister-workers, I; bootmakers, 4c., 2; and one each in lotterpi ess printers, tailoresses, bricklayers, tailors, metal-workers, and carters' award a total of 30. The number of complaints of breaches of awards. Arc, investigated (luring the year was 474, ami of these 215 were found on investigation to he substantiated. In 225 instances no breach was disclosed, while in 4 cases the investigations veil nor completed at the end of. the year. Of the cases where breathes of award were disclosed, 51 were for failing to give preference to unionists, and 49 of these were adjusted by the workers joining the unions. Seventy-eight cases of failing to pay full award rates of wages were adjusted on payment of arrears due, totalling £249 125., anil warnings being given. In 85 eases the breaches were of minor importance and first offences, ami warnings were given in each case. Thirty-one prosecutions for enforcements of awards were taken ; of these, 13 were against employers for failing to pay award rates, and 10 against wmkers for accepting less than tiie award rates of wages. There were I cases against one employer for deducting wages from apprentices for holidays, 2 cases for failing to observe the King's Birthday as a holiday (it being a compulsory holiday under the provisions of the award), ami 2 for breaches of the preference clause. In 27 cases penalties totalling £30 125.. with costs £2 35., wele inflicted. In 2 cases breaches only were recorded, ami in I cases no conviction obtained. ruder the Act itself 5 prosecutions were taken against employers for failing to keep wages and overtime book, and penalties totalling £5, with CI 15s. costs, wen inflicted. The following summary .vill show the details Connected with cases settled out of Court, together with the back wages received ami paid to workers : — Statement showing Amount of Wages collected for Year ending -list March, 1911. . I Number. Amount collected. t s. d. Bakers ... ... ... ... ... 1 0 9 2 Boilermakers ... ■■ ... ... ... I 10 5 9 Bootmakers ... ... ... ... ... •> :i ,s 0 Brassfinishers ... ... ... I IM 0 0 Butchers ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 I 111 n Carpenters and joiners ... ... .2 2 10 o Carters ... ... ... ... ... ... 7 13 18 6 Engineers ... ... ... ... ... 3 9 3 0 Furniture ... ... ... ... ... 4 11 6 4 Grocers ... ... ... ... ... 4 64 7 lo Goldminers ... ... ... ... I 0 13 6 Hotel employees (including private hotels, tea-rooms, and restaurants) ... ... ... ~.24 48 11 4 Labourers ... ... ... ... ... 2 12 3 Metal-workers ... ... ... ... ... I 0 11 3 Plasterers ... ... ... ... ... I 3 13 0 Plumbers ... ... ... ... ... 2 9 110 Saddlers ... ... ... ... ... 2 I 111 (', Shearers .. ... ... ... ... I I 13 6 Slaughtermen ... ... ... ... ... I 1 10 0 Tailors ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 10 7 6 Tailoresses (shop) ... ... ... ... . . 5 is |0 2 Tailoresses (factory) ... ... *... 2 31 16 11 Tinsmiths... ... ... ... ... ... 5 7-11 Timber yards and sawmill ... ... ... 1 317 (i Waterside workers ... ... ... ... 1 fi 0 0 78 £249 8 I Employment Bureau. Women's Branch. -The business done has been unsatisfactory, owing principally to the dearth of domestics. This is shown by the large number of applications from employers for workers as compared with the applications from the latter. Lip to the present time the workers have not availed themselves of this branch as much as might have been expected, seeing that no fee is charged. A separate report is forwarded by the officer in charge of the branch. Mtn's Branch.—A large amount of business has been done during the past year in placing men in employment, the total number assisted being 1,536, made up as follows : 866 single men. and 670 married with 2.551 dependents. The employment to which these I men were sent was principally labouring-work, 1,197 being sent to private employers and 339 to Government works, the latter mostly railw-ay-construction. It will be seen that the majority were sent to private