LXXVIII

H.—ll.

(4.) That the words " or industries " in section 5, Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, 1908, should be struck out. The inclusion of these words enables a union of workers to be formed and registered, and it may contain within its ranks only fifteen persons employed in fifteen distinct industries having no affinity to one another, and thus prevent subsequent action being successfully taken towards forming a separate union in any one of the industries embraced in the original union's registration. (5.) In order that no person carrying on business when an award comes into operation should be exempt from its effects, the provisions of the Act as at present should apply as to the method of citing probable parties. In addition to the foregoing provision, and so that no persons carrying on business should have the opportunity of being exempt owing to their citation having been overlooked, a public notification as to the dispute, its nature, the time and place of hearing, Ac, should be inserted in the newspapers circulating within the district in which it is suggested the award or agreement should operate. A notification of this description should be deemed to be a sufficient service to the few persons who had been overlooked by direct citation. In submitting these suggestions for your consideration I feel confident that their adoption would tend to improve the present Act in the directions indicated. I have, Ac, P. Hally, The Secretary of Labour, Wellington. Commissioner of Conciliation.

OHRISTCHURCH. Report of Conciliation Commissioner for the Canterbury and Otago and Southland Industrial Districts for the Year ending 31st March, 1912. Commissioner's Office, Council of Conciliation, Sir,— Christchurch, 19th April, 1912. I have the honour to submit, for the information of the Hon. Minister for Labour, the following report on the conciliation provisions of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act in the above districts for the year ending 31st March, 1912. During the period mentioned 36 industrial matters have been dealt with by Conciliation Councils, 24 unanimous recommendations were fully arrived at, 4 partially made, and in the other 8 instances no settlements w-ere made, and the disputes were referred to the Arbitration Court; in 6 instances industrial agreements were arrived at between the parties, with my assistance, without the appointment of assessors : total, 42. The follow-ing industrial unions of workers were concerned : — Otago and Southland Iron and Brass South Canterbury Timber-yards, Sawmills, Moulders. a nd Coal-yard Workers. Canterbury Flour-mills. Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral United Boilermakers, Iron and Steel Ship- Labourers. builders of Canterbury. Canterbury Labourers. Canterbury Tanners, Fellmongers, and Christchurch Tramway-w-orkers. Skinners. South Canterbury Bakers and Pastrycooks. Canterbury Freezing - works, Bacon, Ac, Dunedin and Mosgiel Woollen-mill Workers. Workers. Canterbury Motor-car, Horse-drivers, and Canterbury Licensed Victuallers' Employees. Livery-stable Workers. Dunedin Musicians. Canterbury Bakers and Pastrycooks. Bluff Waterside Workers. Christchurch Painters. Canterbury Carpenters and Joiners. Canterbury Sheep-ow-ners' Workers. Canterbury Soap-workers. Otago and Southland Sheep-owners' Workers. Canterbury Woollen-mill Workers. Bluff Waterside Shed Hands. Christchurch Tinsmiths and Sheet - metal Invercargill Carpenters and Joiners. Workers. Dunedin Trawlers. Dunedin Tinsmiths and Sheet - metal Otago Carpenters and Joiners. Workers. Christchurch Gardeners. Southland Slaughtermen. Christchurch City Council Drivers. Southland Builders' Labourers. 'Southland Saw-millers and Timber - yard Southland Public Bodies' and Contractors' Workers. Labourers. Dunedin Wool and Grain Stores AYorkers. Invercargill Gasworks Labourers. Timaru Hotel and Restaurant Employees. Invercargill Drivers. Christchurch Stonemasons. Dunedin Canister-makers. Canterbury Curriers. Christchurch Furniture Trades. At the various conferences held between the representatives of the employers and employees both sides have spoken in appreciative terms of the work done by the Conciliation Councils, and of the opportunity afforded of being able to meet to discuss matters in connection with the different industries. . I beg to thank the officers of the Labour Department for the assistance rendered during the P aStyear - IhaTe 'j &C ß. Triggs, The Secretary of Labour, Wellington. Conciliation Commissioner.