H.—ll

6

certain months in the year 5 p.m. could not be considered to be " evening." The Magistrate did not accept this view, and. entered a conviction. An appeal was then lodged by defendant. It was held by the Chief Justice that 5 p.m. could not be deemed to be " evening " during the summer months, and that tin; conviction must therefore be quashed. As such a decision was likely to affect many requisitions throughout the Dominion, a clause was inserted in the War Legislation and Statute Law Amendment Act, 1918, amending the Shops and Offices Act, and defining the word "evening" as being " that time of the day that is not earlier than 5 o'clock p.m." Another case of some importance relating to the heating of shops was heard in Christchuroh. A requisition was served by the Inspector of Factories on a drapery company at Christchurch, to fit all gas-stoves used on the premises with flues for the purpose of carrying the products of combustion into the open air. The firm considered the requisition unreasonable and appealed to the Magistrate. The appellants endeavoured to show that the purity of the atmosphere was of a higher standard than that laid down by the English Health authorities, notwithstanding that the stoves were without flues. A considerable amount of medical evidence was called respecting the standard purity of the air that should be considered proper and reasonable. The Magistrate decided that the requisition served by the Inspector was reasonable and should be complied with. Regulations. Regulations similar to those provided under the Factories Act were gazetted making specific provision regarding the proportion of sanitary conveniences to be provided in each shop in accordance with the number of assistants employed. Provision was also made that all dry sweeping in any shop where assistants arc employed should be completed half an hour before the assistants commence work. Overtime. During the year assistants worked overtime to the extent of 50,608 hours. Arrears of Wages collected for Workers under various Acts. Arrears of wages collected by Inspectors under all Acts and awards throughout the Dominion totalled £1,953 16s. 9d., an increase of £457 Bs. 9d. over last year. A large proportion of this sum was due on account ol employers failing to pay their assistants lor time lost during the influenza epidemic. Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. During the year 158 prosecutions were taken by the Department for breaches of various awards, resulting in 149 convictions ; six cases were dismissed, and three were withdrawn. There were also fifteen cases for breaches of the Act in failing to keep wages-books, post up copies of awards, ore.—thirteen convictions, one case dismissed; and. one withdrawn. In addition, five cases of breaches of awards were taken by the unions affected, and a conviction was secured in each case. Eleven strikers in the meat-freezing industry were also proceeded against by the Crown under the War Regulations, and each was fined £3. The number of disputes filed for investigation by Conciliation Councils and the Arbitration Court shows an increase as follows :— Industrial agreements (inclusive of those made between parties 19 1 7 ~1 8 ' 1918 -1919. without reference to a Conciliation Commissioner or Council) 45 31 Recommendations of Councils of Conciliation .. .. .. \2'-) 137 Awards of Arbitration Court .. .. .. ..11l 130 'I'he awards and agreements actually in force as at 31st March, 1919, totalled 5111.

Work performed by Commissioners and Councils of Conciliation during the Year.

Commissioner T. Harle Giles. Commissioner W. Newton. ( ommissioner ,., , , ,,, ,, ,. total. W. H. Bagger, Industrial agreements arrived at and filed under section 26: By parties through the Commissioner alone .. I hsputes under section 30, Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Act, 1908, and dealt with by Conciliation Councils: Where industrial agreements were filed (under section 26) or accepted recommendations were made (under section 7, Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Act. 1911) Where recommendations were fully accepted and forwarded to the Court to be made into awards Where recommendations were substantially accepted and referred to Court to make awards Where only minor recommendation or no recommendation was made I 39 4 I 16 2 i 7 ' 4 in 95 8 9 "... 15 32 2 8 10 Totals 50 33 65 148