H.—ll

XXIII

Analysis of Cases — continued. Failing to exhibit copies of awards .. .. .. .. .. 8 Having bespoke work done on other than own premises .. . . . . 3 For miscellaneous breaches of awards (by employers) . . . . . . 104 For miscellaneous breaches of awards (by workers) . . . . . . 50 Grand total .. .. ..603 Total number of cases against employers .. .. .. .. 471 Total number of cases against employees .. .. . • • • 132 The taking of the cases before the Magistrate's Court has resulted in the actions being much more promptly dealt with, but there is considerable dissatisfaction expressed in regard to the difference in rulings given by Magistrates in the various districts. Whilst a Magistrate in the South Island might fine an employer £5, for a similar offence in the North Island a Magistrate will inflict a penalty of only 10s. There are also cases where workers have been fined a greater amount than the employer in cases in which, both were equally culpable. Our Inspectors have also had a considerable amount of work to do in the collection of penalties imposed by the Courts, and have collected a sum of £662 6s. 2d. from employers, £82 2s. Bd. from employees, and from slaughtermen who were fined in 1907 for a breach of the strike-provisions of the Act, a sum of £215 9s. 9d. was collected during the year. The following tables give a complete analysis of the collection of these penalties : — > Return showing Total Cases and Penalties paid and owing by Employers as at 31st March, 1910. £ s. d. Percentage. Total number of cases in which penalties inflicted, 1,520 Total amount of penalties .. .. • • • • 4,668 9 0 Amount paid within three months .. . . .. 3,554 3 0 76 B - Amount paid within six months .. .. • • 382 16 6 8 4 Amount paid over six months.. .. .. •• 211 12 6 4J Total amount outstanding .. .. .. •• 519 17 0 11-|-Of the amount unpaid, £62 is owing by employers who have gone out of business, and whose whereabouts are at present unknown. Several are reported, to have left the Dominion ; £49 10s. is owing by employers who have promised to pay off their fines by instalments ; £56 2s. 6d. by employers against whom warrants of distress have been issued, but who have " no effects " (several of these are bankrupt, and are now working for wages, and are paying in small instalments) ; £11 by employers who, through illness, &c, are in very poor circumstances, and cannot pay at present; £2 by an employer who was accidentally killed soon after the fine was imposed ; and £339 4s. 6d., representing 7| per cent, of the total amount of penalties, is owing by persons only recently fined (steps are being taken in the usual way to collect the amounts owing). Return showing Cases, and Penalties paid and owing by Workers (other than Slaughtermen), as at 31st, March, 1910. £ s. d. Percentage. Total number of cases in which penalties inflicted, 464 Total amount of penalties . . . . • • .. 469 17 0 Amount paid within three months .. • • • • 343 1 0 73| Amount paid within six months .. . . • • 24 1 4 o s - Amount paid over six months . . . . . ■ 21 4 5 4|Amount outstanding .. .. ■• •• .. 81 10 3 17 4 Of the amount of £81 10s. 3d. outstanding—£7o Is. Bd., representing 15 per cent, of the total amount of penalties, is owing by workers whose present whereabouts are unknown (distress warrants were issued against several of them at various times, but were returned either for the reason given, or, where warrants could be served, there were no effects to seize ; some of these workers were only recently fined, while others disappeared either before or just after the penalty was imposed); £3 10s. is being paid by instalments ; £3 Bs. 7d. is owing by men against whom distress warrants have been issued, but so far without effect; 10s. by a worker who has been out of employment, but who is expected to pay shortly ; £1 is owing by another worker who has only recently been located, and whose wages will be attached to recover the penalty ; and £3 by workers only recently fined, for the recovery of which the usual steps are being taken to collect.