H.—ll.

creeper belt on ; his left hand was caught, and he was swung round the shaft. The verdict of jury at inquest, " Accidental death; no blame attached to any one." Pembroke (I—fatal). —A man employed at a sawmill was drowned while rafting timber. Verdict of jury at inquest, " Accidentally drowned; no blame attached to any one." Russell (I).—A man employed at the preserving-works had a piece cut off the forefinger by the machine used in the tinsmithing. Stratford (I—fatal).— A man employed at a sawmill was killed through being caught in the belt and dragged round the shaft. Verdict of jury at inquest, " Accidental death." Thames (2).—Two men employed at sawmills met with slight accidents while working about circular saw. Timaru (3). —A man employed in a cycle-factory got his hand under the steel bar of plamngmachine, which went through the hand. A man employed in a woollen-factory lost the first joint of the forefinger of the left hand while using a carding-machine. A man employed in the engineering trade lost two of his fingers while using a planing-machine. Upper Hutt (1). —A man employed in a sawmill got crushed between a truck and the bank of the road, and died from the effects. At the inquest, verdict of " Accidental death " was returned. Winton (1). —An engine-driver at a sawmill had the top taken off the little finger of his left hand while cutting firewood. Wavpawa (2). —Two men employed at sawmills met with slight accidents, one while using a jack, and the other a circular saw. Wanganui (7). —Three men employed in the engineering trade lost the tops of fingers. A man employed at a sawmill had three fingers of the right hand crushed in a planing-machine. A man employed in the furniture trade lost the tops of four fingers while using a planing-machine. A man employed as a cabinetmaker lost a finger while using a planing-machine. A man employed in the carpentering trade lost a little finger by coming in contact with circular saw. Wellington (69). —A young man employed in a woollen-factory had the first three fingers of right hand severely lacerated by a Garnett machine. A man employed in a tinsmithing factory lost two fingers of the right hand whilst working at a tin-press machine. A man employed in the blacksmithing trade lost three fingers by a planing-machine. The remaining sixty-six were of a slight nature, necessitating absence from work for a few days.

LEGAL DECISIONS DUEING THE YEAR 1901-2. April, 1901. Auckland. —Two cases under the Shops Act : One for failing to close shop for half-holiday; penalty, £1, with 10s. costs. The other, for failing to give half-holiday (two charges); penalty, ss. each, with £1 Is. costs. Blenheim. —One case under the Shops Act, for failing to close shop on half-holiday ; penalty, 55., with £1 Bs. costs. Collingwood. —One case under the Factories Act, for employing lad under sixteen years of age without certificate of fitness; penalty, £1, with 9s. costs. Christchurch. —One case under the Factories Act, for failing to report accidents ; penalty, Is., without costs. May, 1901. Auckland. —Two cases under the Shops Acts : One for failing to close shop for the half-holiday : penalty, 55., with 7s. costs. In the other case there were two charges : (1) neglecting to give female employee an hour for meals; (2) for employing her for more than eleven and a half hours in one day. Penalty for first charge, £1, with 19s. costs; second charge dismissed, the defendant claiming that part of the time worked was not in connection with the shop. Christchurch. —One case under the Servants' Eegistry Offices Act, two charges : One for charging more fees than allowed by Act; the other for neglecting to keep record as required by Act. Penalty, £2, with £1 Bs. costs on each charge, and license indorsed. Dunedin. —Three cases under the Factories Act : One for failing to give girl the Saturday halfholiday; penalty, 10s., with 7s. costs. The other two, for employing girls after 6 p.m. without permit from Inspector; penalties, £1 and 9s. costs each. June, 1901. Wellington. —Two cases under the Shops Act : One for failing to close shop, the other for employing driver of delivery-cart on the half-holiday. Penalty, in each case, £1, with 7s. costs each. Christchurch. —One case under the Shops Act, for employing assistant on the half-holiday; penalty, £1, with 7s. costs. Invercargill. —One case under the Factories Act, for failing to give required notice to Inspector of an increase of employees beyond the number registered for, and for failing to pay the additional fee; penalty, 10s., with 7s. costs, and the additional fee. July, 1901. Auckland. —One case under the Shops Act, for failing to close shop on half-holiday ; penalty, 10s., with £1 Is. costs. Dannevirke.- —One case under the Shops Act (two charges), for failing to grant half-holiday to employees ; penalty, 55., with 9s. costs in each case,

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