H.—ll

26

Visits of inspection have boon paid to all shops in the district, and special attention has been given to wages and time books, seating-accommodation for females, also to ventilation and sanitation. Prosecutions: Six prosecutions were taken under this Act. Convictions were obtained in all cases. Overtime: 226 overtime warrants were issued to 146 shop-assistants, who worked 5,385 extra hours. This shows a considerable increase on the preceding year. The conditions of employment as a whole were satisfactory, and tht< law was being fairly well complied with. Scaffolding Inspection Act. As Inspector of Scaffolding for the Marlborough and Nelson districts 1 have visited buildings in the course of erection throughout the districts (see separate report). Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. No difficulty has arisen in connection with awards under this Act during the year. There an- nine awards and six industrial agreements in force in the Nelson and Marlborough districts, and the necessary inspection lias entailed a very considerable amount of travelling and investigation, mainly in connection with the Nelson Tailors' and the New Zealand Typographical awards. Sixty complaints were received and inquired into. The majority of cases arose from complainants not understanding the terms of the awards, while others were of a trivial nature, and letters of warning met the cases. Four persons were proceeded against for breaches of awards. Convictions were obtained in all cases, the penalties and costs amounting to £1.1. 4s. 6d. Servants' Registry Offices Act. There arc no servants' registry offices in the Nelson district. Shearers' and Agricultural Labourers' Accommodation Act. There are 12 sheds in the district which come within the meaning of this Acl. The accommodation for shearers is satisfactory, and, with two exceptions, shearers take their meals at the homesteads, where cooks for the men are employed. Workers' Compensation Act. The amending Act of 1911, providing that agreements for the settlement of claims shall not be binding unless approved by a Magistrate or Inspector, has done much to safeguard the interest of injured workers. During the .year a number of workers has called see;king advice as to compensation for injuries received. Six memoranda of agreement were brought in for approval. The circumstances and conditions in connection with each case were inquired into, and only the full amount of compensation due was approved, as follows : boss of three fingers, £76 Us. 5d.; big toe, £36 Is.; top of finger, £23 15s. 2d.; part of thumb, £79 65.; loss of eve, £154 15s. Ud.; top of finger, £15 Bs. Workers' Dwellings Act. During the year much interest has been manifested in this Act by the, workers in the district. Inquiries were received as to general conditions governing workers' dwellings. Each applicant was supplied with the fullest information, and 12 applications were received. Land was then acquired by the Department for the purpose of erecting dwellings. The land has been cut up and surveyed, and contracts let for making roads and for sewerage. Gas and water mains have been put in by the City Council, and in the course of a few months the dwellings will be erected. Men's Employment Branch. There lias been a good demand for all classes of labour during the year. All local men have been fully employed, and no difficulty has been experienced in placing applicants willing to take farm-work, scrub-cutting, or bush-work. Applications have been received from employers from all parts of the district for this class of labour. In the manufacturing industries there has, as already mentioned, also been a shortage of labour. This is a very serious matter as far as the fruit industry is concerned, as the season lasts about eight months, when employers put on all labour available, whilst at the end of the season they shorten hands. I am afraid that until the problem of employment for the other four months of the year can be solved the difficulty of obtaining labour for the busy season will continue. During the year employment was round for 101 men, 30 of whom were married with 46 dependants, and 71 were single men. Women's Employment Branch. This department has done good work, and is much appreciated by employers and employees. The same difficulty with regard to the scarcity of domestic workers has been experienced as with various other workers. Employers are continually inquiring what chance there is of obtaining help, and this takes up a considerable amount of the time of the officer in charge (see separate report). Conclusion. In conclusion, I have to thank all those officers with whom 1 have been associated during the year for their assistance. ] have, &c, S. Tyson, Inspector of Factories. The Secretary for Labour and Chief Inspector of Factories, Wellington,