17

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dwellings shows thai the occupiers take considerable interest in their homes. Six dwellings are also being erected at Ashburton. Servants' Registry-offices Act. —Fourteen persons hold licenses. Dunedin. The Officer in Charge (Mr. L, 1). Browett) reports:;— General. —During the first four months of the year all industries were maintaining their usual steady progress. When the war broke out there was a rapid, if not sudden, slackness in nearly all industries, The building and allied trades, which at the commencement of the year were recovei ing from a period of depression, were the first to feel the effects of the slump, the effect of which was. the growth of a large number of unemployed artisans and general labourers. In some industries work was suspended until trade improved. Meetings were held, committees formed, and funds raised, which enabled the committee to put a number of men on to work. Owing to the combined efforts of patriotic ladies and gentlemen, who formed committees presided over by the Mayor, and the Public Works Department, the unemployed difficulty ceased to exist. Eventually the building and other trades bad so much improved that many of the men had little difficulty in getting back to their usual avenues of employment. The slump appears to have disappeared, and, judging by the large buildings which are now in the course of erection, confidence has been fully restored. Factories Act.-—The provisions of this Act have, as in past years, been well observed. The factories registered number 1,115. Overtime worked by women and by boys under sixteen years amounted to 48,382 hours. There were 117 accidents reported, and one fatality, the result of a man falling on to an electric torch. There were also several serious accidents, the most serious thing being that of a young girl who lost the greater part of her scalp through her hair becoming entangled in some machinery. There were two prosecutions. Shops and Offices Act. —This Act is working satisfactorily, and its provisions are well understood. There were thirteen charges for breaches, and penalties were imposed in eleven. 6,708 hours overtime were worked by 170 assistants. Servants' Registry-offices Act. —There are twelve licensed registry-offices. Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration. Act, and Awards, &c, thereunder. —Tho number of alleged breaches of awards discovered and reported was 340, and in 197 cases breaches more or less serious wore found to exist; however, the majority were adjusted reasonably by the payment of arrears. In nineteen eases application for enforcement was made, convictions in sixteen. In one the Department was nonsuited. In the latter case the defendant had employed a journeyman who was not a member of the union, and the Court held that the rules of the union in providing for the expulsion of members did not piovide that " Any journeyman of good character and sober habits may continue a member upon payment if prescribed contribution," consequently the preference clause was inoperative. A total amount of £251 10s Bd., arrears of wages, was recovered and paid to workers. Workers' Dwellings. —There are twenty-six workers' dwellings in this city, and several applications for others have been made. Gisborne. The Inspector of Factories (Mr. W. H. Westbrooke) reports : — General. —Although the declaration of war temporarily affected all trades adversely, particularly the building trade, confidence is now fully restored. Factories Act. —There were 202 factories registered in Gisborne; they have all been visited, and are well conducted, and it has not been found necessary to prosecute in any ease. Fiftyiwo accidents were reported, none causing permanent disablement. Shops and Offices Act. —366 shops are on the register in this district. A large number of complaints were investigated, and three employers were prosecuted. The Act has been well observed. Industrial Conciliation and. Arbitration Act. —Two breaches of agreement were taken to Court, and resulted in a substantial fine in each ease; and, although numerous breaches have been discovered, with the exception of the two cases mentioned all have been settled without Court proceedings. Shearers' and Agricultural Labourers' Accommodation Act. —Thirteen stations have been visited, and eight notices were served to provide additional accommodation. Unemployment. —497 applications for employment were made. Of these, 260 labourers have been sent to public works and twenty-six to private employment. The district is largely engaged in pastoral pursuits, which do not tend to provide constant employment of labour. There has often been a shortage of labour in the busy season, and a surplus for the remainder of the year. Unemployment has not been experienced to any great extent : the skilled worker has been kept busy. Workers' Dwellings. —Fourteen workers' dwellings have been erected at Gisborne and eight at Tolago Bay. and all are occupied on the instalment-purchase system. Napier. The Inspector of Factories (Mr, A. Donald) reports: — General. —It was natural to expect that the war would have a detrimental effect on our industries. This, however, was not the case to any great extent, and for the latter portion of the year business was above normal. The sheep-farmers of the district have had considerable reverse-; owing to the drought, and a further drawback was caused owing to the want of space in

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