H.—ll

XII

to many of our leading manufacturing industries. I find in regard, to the cities the returns show that in Auckland, out of 2,119 employees compared, 782 receive the minimum rate and 1,337 in excess, equal to 63 per cent. In Wellington 1,513 employees have been compared, 535 of whom receive the minimum rate and 978 in excess of the minimum, or 64 per cent. In Christchurch 2,367 have been compared, 869 of whom receive the minimum rate and 1,498 in excess of minimum, or 63 per cent. In Dunedin 1,375 employees have been compared, of whom 599 receive the minimum and 776 in excess of the minimum, or per cent. Industrial Union Registrations. The returns of industrial unions are (by statute) to be computed for the complete year, and therefore do not cover the financial year on which the rest of this report is based. The industrial-union year is from the Ist January to the 31st December. The roll of members of industrial unions during the last six years appears as follows : —

The workers' unions have gained by 17 unions, although the number of 308 as enumerated is less than the 325 of last year. This arises through the branches of the Associated Society of Eailway Servants now being merged into one union. The roll of membership of industrial unions of workers was increased by 5,172, and shows during the last five years an increase-of over 24,000 persons. There was a decrease of two employers' unions and of 216 members. In the following table the unionists are shown in trade groups, with their respective percentages of increase during the period of six years from 1903 to 1909. The membership of building-trades unions, which last year was 7,622, has suffered a reduction of 1,370, whilst there are decreases in membership since last year in mining of 94, in printing of 22, in transport of 292. Notwithstanding these decreases, probably due to temporary depression in the trades, it will be noticed that the membership of all unions has increased by 97-2 per cent, in the six years :—

The business under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, 1908, during the year ending the 31st March, 1910, is summarised in the following table : — Industrial agreements .. * .. .. ■. • • • • .. 14

Unions of Employers. Number of Number o Unions. Members. Unions of Workers. Number of Members. Number of Unions. Number of Members. December, 1904 . . 1905 .. 1906 .. 1907 .. 1908 .. 1909 .. 109 3,292 .. 113 3,276 109 3,337 121 3,630 122 3,918 120 3,702 3,292 3,276 3,337 3,630 3,918 3,702 273 261 274 310 325 308 30,271 29,869 34,978 45,614 49,347 54,519

Trade. 1903. 1903. 1909. Increase per Cent. i Agriculture Building Clothing and textile Engineering and shipbuilding Food Mining Printing Transport Other trades 1,235 3,717 .. ', 3,158 ■'.. I 1,441 .. I 2,297 .. i 4,145 .. ! 708 .. ! 7,749 .. I 3,190 3,454 6,252 4,319 3,059 6,473 5,093 1,151 16,246 8,472 179-6 68-1 36-7 112-2 181-8 22-8 62-4 109-6 165-5 Totals 27,640 27,640 54,519 Increase of unionists 26,879 97-2