H.—ll

A worker had just completed ripping a length of timber on a circular saw when a piece was thrown back off the saw, hitting him just below the chest. He died in hospital about three weeks later. The guard on the saw-bench was not in operation. A worker was operating a glass-bevelling machine. The piece of glass on which he was working slipped off the top of the grinding surface, giving him a severe thrust in the abdomen. The worker died two days later in hospital from a haemorrhage. An employee at a meat-works was standing on a platform oiling overhead shafting while it was in motion, when his coat became entangled in the shafting, and he sustained injuries from which he later died in hospital. A worker at a whaling station while dislodging a bone which was blocking the draining port of a digester stumbled and fell into a shallow pit containing the heated offal from the digester, receiving scalds from which he died shortly after admission to hospital. Inspections During the year 8,640 visits of inspection were made, 822 breaches of the Act being found. Prosecutions were instituted in 12 cases and warnings given in 648. No action was considered necessary in the remaining cases. In addition, complaints were received respecting 515 alleged breaches of the Act, which, on investigation, resulted in 13 prosecutions and 202 warnings. In 101 cases it was found that no breach had been committed. Convictions were secured in 20 of the 25 prosecutions. The fines totalled £41. There were 542 requisitions served to comply with various requirements of the Act, such as for safeguards for workers employed on machinery, &c., sanitation, fire-escapes, dust-extraction, renovations and structural alterations, heating-appliances, lighting, ventilation, spray-booths for duco work, lime washing, first-aid appliances, dining-room accommodation, and the provision of drinking-water. Boys and Girls in Factories Section 23 of the Statutes Amendment Act, 1944, brought the provisions of the Factories Act, 1921-22, regarding the age that boys and girls can commence employment into line with the revision of the law effected by the Education (School Age) Regulations 1943 (Serial No. 1943/202). Thus the law now provides that a boy or girl under fifteen years of age shall not be employed except in special cases authorized in writing by the Inspector, who shall not give any such authorization except in the case of a boy or girl over fourteen years of age who is exempted under the Education Act, 1914, from the obligation to be enrolled as a pupil at any school. It is also provided that a certificate shall not be granted unless the Inspector is satisfied that the boy or girl to whom it relates is of the age shown therein and is fit for the employment. The Department calls for documentary evidence of age and education, while in determining the question of fitness the Inspector has regard for the trade and occupation involved, including considerations as to lifting of weighty articles, the particular factory and the working conditions therein, and the appearance and physique of the young person concerned. The number of certificates issued during recent years has been : —

Industrial Hygiene and other Problems arising out of Industrial Processes Heating.—lnspectors have continued .to give attention to requirements as to heating of factory premises. In present circumstances as to shortages of coal and electric power some difficulty has been experienced in securing full compliance with the standard previously adopted. The Factories Act, 1921-22, empowers the Inspector, by requisition to the occupier, to require the occupier of any factory, within a time to be specified in the requisition, to provide such heating appliances as the Inspector thinks necessary for the comfort of the persons employed in that factory. While it is admittedly usual for employers to cater for the comfort of their workers, it appears to be desirable that the law should place the obligation directly upon factory occupiers and not provide as at present, for the obligation to arise only following formal action by the Inspector. When regulations under the Factories Act, 1908, were under consideration in 1919 it was proposed to insert therein definite temperature standards, but following inquiries in England, where at that date a specific regulation had been found to be impracticable, this was not done, the matter being dealt with by means of general instructions to Inspectors. Ventilation.—Supply and power difficulties have retarded some desirable improvements, particularly in respect of extraction arrangements prescribed under the Spray Painting Regulations 1940 (Serial No. 1940/83). Correction of these matters is being pursued. Linseed-oil.—ln last year's report it was stated that a rash had occurred in a linseed-oil factory. Subsequent investigations showed that the disability had not manifested itself very seriously. At first the rash affected some workers employed on the presses, though other departments were subsequently affected, but not to the same extent. Structural alterations are being arranged, and it is hoped that the provision of better facilities for cleanliness will effect a cure.

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Year. Boys. Girls. Total. 1938-39.. .. .. 1,830 2,320 4,150 1939-40 .. .. .. 2,139 2,407 4,546 1940-41 .. .. .. 2,119 2,080 4,199 1941-42.. .. .. 2,153 2,145 4,298 1942-43.. .. .. 1,706 1,557 3,263 1943-44.. .. .. 1,480 1,465 2,945 1944-45.. .. .. 881 668 1,549