H.—ll

14

present financial stringency, it was found necessary to extend the due date of compliance with a number of notices. Some employers have decided to employ a lesser number of hands over a longer working-period, and thus avoid enlarging the accommodation. Meantime the farmers are, generally speaking, doing their best to provide satisfactory accommodation for the shearers. In quite a large number of instances in which complaints were made alleging bad or insufficient accommodation it was'found upon investigation that the shearing-sheds did not come within the scope of the Act either because the number of shearers employed did not exceed four, or that the number in excess of four resided in the immediate neighbourhood of the shearing-shed, or it was found that shearing was done at a neighbouring station and not at the station complained of. Generally speaking, however, the shearers on small stations are provided for at the homestead. The Agricultural Labourers' Accommodation Act, 1908, and its Amendments (including Accommodation for Flax and Sawmill Workers). Sawmilling. —Forty-four visits of inspection were made and twenty-four notices to effect improvements were served on various employers. All notices served in 1919-20 have been complied with. Flax-milling. —Thirty-two visits of inspection were made and seven notices for improvements were served on various employers. Farm Labourers. —Seventy-five visits of inspection were made and thirty notices were served requiring alterations. As a rule it is found that the accommodation provided on sheep-stations for the permanent hands is good, and in consequence few complaints come to hand respecting them. Scaffolding Inspection Act. The increase referred to last year in the number of notices of intention to erect scaffolding received by Inspectors, showing increased activity in the building trade, has been sustained during the period under discussion. The following shows the number of notices received from 1913-14 to date: 1913-14, 1,488; 1914-15, 1,453; 1915-16, 937; 1916-17, 888; 1917-18, 706; 1918-19, 666 ; 1919-20, 897 ; 1920-21, 955. There wore seventy-nine accidents in connection with scaffolding, and two of these were fatal. The fatalities do not appear to have been consequent upon faulty scaffolding or gear, but were caused by falls from planks. Practically all the remaining accidents were of a minor nature. There wore nine prosecutions. Servants' Registry-offices Act. There arc eighty-nine offices registered in New Zealand, an increase, of nineteen since last report. It was necessary in, one case to prosecute a licensee for a breach of the Act, and a conviction was entered. Otherwise the Act has been satisfactorily observed. Footwear Rhoulation Aot. Inspections have been carried out throughout the Dominion, but in only six cases were breaches of the Act discovered. These were of a minor nature, and no cases were taken to the Court. The provisions of the Act appear to be now well understood, and, where necessary, footwear imported from overseas is always branded in accordance with the requirements of the New Zealand law.

War Legislation Amendment Act (Rent-restriction).

Amending Legislation, 1920. The amendment of last year, in addition to continuing the law until the 31st December, 1921, contained several important alterations, namely— (I.) That the law should not apply to houses built or first let after the passing of the amendment (9th November, 1920), thus removing all the restrictions on future building operations.

Number taken t< c ,-, j Number i °t°»"" settled b3Court ' without Re of Complaints y Department soourse to Court. Nura her wi of Complaints )hdrawn. Number of Cases in which no Action was taken. Year ended the 31st March, 1921. Docision. (a.) T Where Increase T , Increaso not : . ,.„ , justified.| J "' St,fi ' :d ' (b.) (a.) Where Increase justified. (6.) Whore Increase not justified but Owners reduced Rent. (a.) Outside Scope of Act. (b.) For Miscellaneous Causes. Total. Increase justified. Whore Increase not justified. Wellington Other places 3 16 10 12 39 104 94 377 13 15 33 15 30 L9 32 106 268* 718f •■ * Includes 1pending. Includes 54 pending.