H.—ll.

Councils of Conciliation. The result of the Commissioners' work is summarized in the following table : —■

Compared with last year the above results show that twelve fewer cases were fully settled during the present period. Since their establishment in January, 1909, the Councils have dealt with 426 cases, and of this total 292 have been fully settled, whilst the number referred to the Court (i.e., in which no agreement has been effected by the Commissioners and their assessors) totals fifty-five. Cases partly settled (i.e., leaving but a few clauses over to the Court) total seventy-nine. The reports of the Commissioners appear in this report (see page 45).

MONEY RECOVERED FOR WORKERS UNDER VARIOUS ACTS. The following table gives a list showing the amounts collected by the Department's Inspectors on behalf of workers :—

The total amount collected was £1,856 135., as compared with £1,901 14s. 4d. collected for the year ending 31st March, 1912. In all these cases the facts are fully inquired into by the Department's officers, and settlement without prosecution is agreed to in cases of inadvertence. WORKERS' COMPENSATION ACT. During the year ending 31st March, 1913, twenty-four cases for recovery of compensation were taken into Court. In two cases the relatives of deceased workers were awarded full compensation, amounting to £500 each; eleven cases taken by workers who had been incapacitated by accident were successful; ten cases were dismissed, and one held over. The most important cases dealt with were as follow :— A miner whose wages had been 10s. 3d. a day claimed compensation on the basis of £3 Is. 6d. weekly earnings. The defendant contended that the average weekly earnings did not amount to more than £2 ss. 4d. This amount was arrived at by including in the period of employment certain days on which the plaintiff was absent from work during the period over which the work was spread. The Court ruled that in calculating such average weekly earnings within the meaning of section 6 of the Act no account should be taken of any periods during which the worker was absent from work, and that therefore claimant was entitled to compensation on the basis of his claim— i.e., £3 Is. 6d. per week. (Vol. xi, p. 1.0.) The representatives of a deceased worker claimed the balance of medical and funeral expenses under section 4 of the Act—viz., for maintenance at a hospital. The Court ruled that the term "medical or surgical attendance" did not include maintenance, and gave judgment for defendants. (Vol. xi, p. 14.)

XIX

Industrial District. Number j fully settled, Number partially settled. Number in which no Settlement was made, and whole Dispute was referred to Court. Total. Northern and Taranaki (Commissioner Harle Giles) Wellington, Marlborough, Nelson, and Westland (Commissioner Hally) !anterbury and Otago and Southland (Commissioner Triggs) 22 9 9 10 24 9 4 37 28 5 8 41 Grand totals 74 23 i 21 118

Industrial District. Under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. I Under the Factories Act. Under the Shops and Offices Act. Ibrthern 'aranaki Wellington Jelson Westland Janterbury )tago and Southland .. £ s. d. 538 14 3 37 1 0 266 12 11 40 0 0 £ s. d. 173 19 8 6 17 5 43 8 9 £ s. d. 30 3 10 43 1 3 141 10 8 322 4 6 46 2 8 103 5 8 17 5 1 8 8 10 37 16 6 Totals 1,346 3 4 390 19 3 119 10 5