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Servants' Registry Offices Act. This Act is giving every satisfaction. No serious complaints have been made. Occasionally there is a little difficulty in getting some of the offices to keep their books as required by the Act. Industrial Conciliation -and Arbitration Acts. The Amendment Act, 1901, section 16, has greatly increased the work of the office, and throws a good deal of responsibility upon the Inspector. The utmost caution has to be exercised in dealing with alleged breaches of awards and industrial agreements that are frequently being brought under my notice. This involves a deal of correspondence, and takes up a considerable portion of my time. Out of nearly forty of such alleged breaches of award it has only been necessary for the Department to proceed against one employer. In this case he was fined £5 and costs. The fine went to the union. In four other instances I was successful in arranging a conference of both parties, with the result that they appealed to the Arbitration Court for an interpretation of the claims in the award in dispute. The Court decided in favour of the union. In all the other cases where there has been a bond fide breach of award I have been able to effect a satisfactory settlement which has been agreeable to both parties. In closing I have again to acknowledge the kindly courtesy that has been shown to me from both employers and employees. I have, etc., John Lomas, Inspector of Factories. Edward Tregear, Esq., Chief Inspector of Factories, Wellington. DUNEDIN. g IK) • Department of Labour, Dunedin, 4th April, 1903. I have the honour to submit my report of the work of this branch of the Department for the year ending the 31st March, 1903. Factories. lam pleased to say the general condition of same has been well maintained. Special attention has been given to the sanitary arrangements, general cleanliness, and fire-escapes, and where any improvements have been required very little trouble has been experienced in getting factory-owners to comply with my wishes, and more attention is now given when erecting new factories to have them up to date in every way. The general comfort of the employees is becoming one of the first considerations. The new factories chat have been erected during the past year are in every respect a credit to the employers, a boon to the workers, and an ornament to the city, and they offer an inducement to the owners of older and out-of-date factories to improve the conditions of their premises. During the year the number of factories has increased by 37—667 factories now being registered, as compared with 630 last year. The number of persons employed is 9,382—viz., 6,375 males and 3,007 females. It will be seen there has been a falling-off in the number of males employed. This is easily accounted for by the lull in the dredging and engineering industries, which has affected Dunedin, I believe, more than any other city in the colony; but it is pleasing to note that fresh life has again sprung into those industries, as will be seen by the large amount of overtime worked. The quantity of overtime worked in all trades by males being 130,238 hours ; females, 33,232 hours : total 163,470 hours. This increase is accounted for partly by including the overtime worked by male adults, which has to be supplied to the Department. During the year 455 permits have been issued to young persons —218 boys and 217 girls. During the "year 44 accidents were reported, the most serious being that of an engine-driver, who, while°shifting a belt on to a pulley running on the top shafting, lost his balance and fell to the ground a distance of 16 ft., his head striking the edge of an iron plate, which drove in part of his skull on the fore part of the head. A youth, while working a drilling-machine, got two of his fingers taken off. A boy, while working a biscuit-machine, got his hand caught by the machine, and part of his fingers taken off by his hand slipping into the cog wheels. The other accidents were of a slight nature, and investigation into those accidents showed in most cases carelessness on the part of the persons injured. Shops and Shop-assistants Act. This Act occasionally is a little difficult to work, but on the whole I have little difficulty with the majority of shopkeepers. The feeling is growing stronger every year that there should be one uniform closing-day for all shops, and no exemptions. There have been eight prosecutions under this Act, all of which have been decided in favour of the Department. Servants' Registry Offices Act. There are now 18 of these offices in Dunedin, 4 of which have been granted certificates this year, showing an increase of 2 for the year; the rest are renewals. No complaints of a serious nature have been reported to me; those licensed seem to be in. the hands of very good people. Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Acts. Several cases for breaches of award have been brought under my notice, and I am pleased to say I have found it to advantage to get the disputing parties to meet and discuss matters quietly, and with only one exception those disputes have been settled satisfactorily to both parties without having recourse to the Court. lam confident much good and a better feeling can be obtained by bringing the employees and employers together in this way.

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