H—ll

minimum wage, a minimum below which not only could wages fixed through other channels not fall, but which extended also to workers—e.g., domestic servants —not otherwise covered by industrial legislation fixing wages. (2) The rates as originally fixed were amended from Ist December, 1947, to the following : Male workers .. .. 3s. an hour or £1 4s. a day or £5 15s. a week. Female workers .. Is. lid. an hour or 15s. 4d. a day or £3 13s. a week. After two years of administration of this piece of legislation it is now possible to say that it has been well received and well observed by employers. During the year ended 31st March, 1947, it was necessary to issue warnings for non-compliance in 371 instances (compared with 4,146 and 1,531 for awards and the Factories Act respectively) and no proceedings were instituted for breaches. During the year ended 31st March, 1948, warnings totalled 99, and in 1 case proceedings were commenced but subsequently withdrawn. This is a very satisfactory record for legislation of such wide application. (3) The following tables show the under-rate workers' permits which have been issued during the two years under this Act:—

Section 5.- —Apprenticeship (a) Administrative Developments The changes brought about by the Apprentices Amendment Act, 1946, began to take effect during the twelve months under review in this report. A Commissioner of Apprenticeship, Mr. H. C. McQueen, was appointed and took up his duties in June. The first four District Commissioners were also appointed during the year at Auckland,

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Males Type of Work. Health Deficiency. Inexperience. Old Age. Other Eeasuns. Totals. Mental. Physical. Agricultural Work as caretaker, attendant, liftman, &c. Industrial Clerical Domestic Miscellaneous 5 5 2 1 25 8 27 6 12 2 2 6 7 15 28 20 11 8 Ik 1 1 1 1 61 29 50 21 29 6 Totals 13 80 30 69 4 196 ' Females Type of Work. Health Deficiency. Inexperience. Old Age. Part-time Work. Totals. Mental. Physical. Agricultural Industrial Shop and clerical Domestic Other 4 1 1 3 14 10 3 2 1 2 8 24 1 1 1 25 14 7 29 1 Totals 4 19 16 10 27 76