H.—ll.

February, 1902. Auckland. —Five cases under the Factories Act: One for employing lad under sixteen years of age without certificate of fitness; penalty, £1, with 7s. costs. One for failing to pay girl the statutory wages ; penalty, 145., with lis. costs. Three for employing lads and women on Saturday afternoon ; penalty in first case (six charges), ss. each, with £2 14s. costs ; in second case £1, with 9s. costs ; the third case was dismissed. Wellington. —Eight cases under the Factories Act, for failing to pay wages according to section 31 of the Act to young persons under twenty years of age. The Magistrate, being in doubt as to the meaning of the section, dismissed the cases. March, 1902. Invercargill. —One case under the Factories Act: Various charges—viz., two for employing women for more than four hours and a quarter without three-quarters of an hour interval, and for more than eight hours and a quarter in a day ; three for employing women over forty-five hours iv a week; and one for failing to keep overtime-book. Penalty on last charge, 10s., with £1 6s. 6d. costs ; the other charges withdrawn, with caution to defendant.

DAYS APPOINTED FOR THE CLOSING OF SHOPS FOR 1902. Complete list of days appointed by City and Borough Councils and Town Boards for the closing of shops in their respective districts : — Tuesday Afternoon. —Papakura. Wednesday Afternoon. —Arrowtown, Auckland and suburbs, Balclutha, Blenheim, Brunnerton, Bull's, Cambridge, Campbelltown, Clinton, Clyde (see Wairoa), Cromwell, Dannevirke, Devonport, Dunedin and suburbs, Feilding, Foxton, Gore, Green Island, Greymouth, Halcombe, Hamilton, Hampden, Havelock, Hastings, Hawera, Hawksbury, Hokitika, Invercargill and suburbs, Kaitangata, Kaikora N., Kumara, Lawrence, Lower Hutt, Marton, Mataura, Milton, Napier, Nelson, Newmarket, Ngaruawahia, Normanby, Onehunga, Opunake, Ormondville, Otautau, Pahiatua, Palmerston N., Palmerston S., Patea, Petone, Queenstown, Riverton, Ross, Rotorua, Southbridge, Tapanui, Taradale, Turakina, Waipawa, Wairoa, Waverley, Wellington and suburbs, Winton, Woodville, Wyndham. Thursday Afternoon. —Akaroa, Alexandra S., Ashburton, Birkenhead, Carterton, Christchurch and suburbs, Eltham, Featherston, Geraldine, Gisborne, Greytown (Allanton), Greytown North, Hampstead, Helensville, Inglewood, Kaiapoi, Kamo, Kihikihi, Masterton, Mosgiel, Naseby, New Plymouth, Oamaru, Opotiki, Picton, Rangiora, Richmond, Roxburgh, Stratford, Tauranga, Te Aroha, Te Awamutu, Temuka, Thames, Timaru, Tinwald, Waimate, Waitara, Wanganui, Westport, Whangarei. Friday Afternoon. —Manaia. Saturday Afternoon.— Amberley, Outram.

12