H—ll

Following the revocation of the latter Order, a 40-hour week was reverted to, and as the award made no reference to an afternoon-tea break the employers withdrew this concession. A disputes committee was set up under the Strike and Lockout Emergency Regulations 1939, and the decision of the chairman was that an afternoon-tea break of ten minutes be allowed without deduction of pay to all workers concerned in the dispute, the decision being operative from the 15th October. On the 20th August, 992 timber-workers in the Westland district ceased work as a protest against the alleged delay of the Court of Arbitration in making a new award and incorporating therein a " wet-time " clause. The stoppage lasted 2 days. On the 10th September work again ceased, the stoppage being a protest at the employers' delay in agreeing to the " wet-time " clause. The workers resumed on the 14th September after receiving an assurance that a conference between the parties would be expedited. A joint application was made to the Arbitration Court on the 20th September to insert an additional clause covering isolation and weather conditions in the award, and the required order was made by the Court on the 22nd November (45 Book of Awards 2144). Amendment to Regulations undek the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, 1925 Section 35 of the Statutes Amendment Act, 1944, provided simplified procedure for referring industrial disputes to Councils of Conciliation—namely, that the proposed reference is to be approved merely by resolution of the committee of management of the union concerned or, in the case of a reference by an industrial association, by resolution of the committee, of management of each of the unions concerned in the dispute. This statutory change in the procedure necessitated consequential alterations to the regulations made under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, such alterations being effected by the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Regulations 1945 (Serial number 1945/72), which were gazetted on 14th June, 1945. Under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Regulations 1946 {Serial number 1946/33), made pursuant to the above Act, and gazetted on 4th April, 1946, the fee' payable to assessors in Conciliation Council proceedings, which had been unchanged since 1908, is increased so that it is more in line with the Arbitration Court's standard-wage pronouncement. Travelling-allowances are also increased. Assessors on Conciliation Councils are now to receive a fee of £1 7s. 6d. a day (being compensation for loss of earnings) and an allowance for hotel, &c, costs if away from home of 17s. 6d. per day. Previously the rates were £1 Is. (fixed in 1908) and 12s. 6d. (fixed in 1920) respectively. Nominated members of the Court of Arbitration, Conciliation Commissioners, and the Registrar of the Court of Arbitration are to receive a travelling-allowance of £1 ss. per day. LABOUR DISPUTES INVESTIGATION ACT, 1913 During the year 9 agreements were filed pursuant to section 8 ; 7 agreements were in force on 31st March, 1946. APPRENTICES ACT At the present time there are 147 Apprenticeship Committees, each representative of employers and workers. Pursuant to requests by Committees, officers of the Department have made 105 special investigations during the year, while, in addition, 263 complaints were investigated. As a result, and following the inspections of factories, &c, referred to elsewhere in this report, 20 prosecutions were commenced and 331 warnings "were issued. Convictions were secured in 17 cases, fines amounting to £27 being imposed.

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