H—ll

(12) There is also provision for the establishment, by agreement between the motor unions and the resellers, of emergency stations to conduct sales in urgent cases outside the specified hours. (13) A further conference was held in June, 1947, in accordance with the understanding previously reached. Certain amendments to the regulations were proposed, but no agreement was reached, and before any change could be made the Oil Fuel Controller, as a consequence of the world-wide petrol shortage, took measures to ration oil fuel through the retailers and, among other things, issued the Motor-spirits Week-end Sales Restriction Notice 1947. This notice prohibited, from 15th November, 1947, sales on Saturdays and Sundays except in certain specified emergencies. These restrictions were in addition to those imposed by the existing regulations. (14) Amendment to the Shops and Offices Act.—Section 63 of the Statutes Amendment Act, 1947, amended the minimum-wages provisions of the Shops and Offices Act to provide a minimum commencing rate of £1 2s. 6d. a week, with half-yearly increments on the agreed rate of not less than ss. a week until the payment is £2 12s. 6d. a week. This amendment was to restore the equality of Factories Act and Shops and Offices Act scales which was disturbed by an amendment incorporated in the Factories Act, 1946. (c) Agricultural Workers Act, 1936 (1) During the year the rates of wages specified by the various Wage-fixation and Extension Orders have been increased for every type of employment except marketgardening. Section 31 of the Finance (No. 2) Act, 1947, amended the Agricultural Workers Act, 1936, from Ist November, 1947, to allow the rate of allowance for board and lodging (where these are not provided), which has been specified as 17s. 6d. a week by section 14 (4) of the principal Act, to be altered from time to time by Order in Council. The Agricultural Workers Wage-fixation Order 1947, in addition to increasing the rates of wages for dairy-farm workers, increased the board and lodging allowance to £1 a week for a short period, and then to £1 ss. a week on and from Ist August, 1947. The Agricultural Workers (Farms and Stations) Extension Order 1947 contained a similar increase. (2) The prevailing rates are set out below :

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Class. Rate for Adult Worker. Date from which payable. Authorizing Measure. : -Reference in 1 Statutory j Regulations Series. Dairy-farms £5 6s. 6d. per week (plus 1/11/46 The Agricultural Workers | 1947/174 board and lodging)* Wage - fixation Order 1947 Farms and stations £4 15s. per week (plus board 1/11/47 The Agricultural Workers 1947/207 and lodging)"}" (Farms and Stations) Extension Order 1947 Orchards Male, £6 7s. 6d. per week, 17/11/47 The Agricultural Workers 1947/208 3s. l|d. per hour ; female, (Orchardists) Extension £4 2s. per week, 2s. l£d. Order (No. 2) 1947 per hour Tobacco Male, 3s. l|d. per hour; 1/11/47 The Agricultural Workers 1947/206 female, 2s. per hour (Tobacco-growers) Extension Order (No. 2) 1947 Market gardens (elseMale, £5 17s. 6d. per week, 1/9/46 The Agricultural Workers 1947/31 where than in 2s. 9d. per hour J; female, • Extension Order 1947 Auckland district) £3 15s. per week 1 * Board and lodging allowance, where these not provided, £1 a week until 31st July, 1947, thereafter £1 5s. a week, t Board and lodging allowance, £1 5s. a week from 19th December, 1947. J Subject to the provisions of the Minimum Wage Act, 1945, which now provides a minimum hourly rate of 3s.