H—ll

the occupier of the shop, but also to the employers' and workers' unions concerned. A new subsection is added to make it clear that once the exemption is granted it shall continue in respect of the particular shop until revoked so long as the class of business carried on is not changed, notwithstanding any change in ownership on the making of a new award. (j) Agricultural Workers Act, 1936 (1) The only increase during the year in the rates of wages specified by the various Wage-fixation and Extension Orders has been in the rates for agricultural workers employed on dairy-farms. The Agricultural Workers Wage-fixation Order 1948 increased the minimum rate for adult workers from £5 6s. 6d. to £5 13s. a week (plus board and lodging valued at £1 ss. a week) and provides that this rate shall be deemed to include allowance for work done at week-ends and on holidays as part of the normal week's work. With the exception of this new Order, the prevailing rates set out in last year's report still apply. (2) The following under-rate workers' permits have been issued under the Act during the year :

The total number of permits compares with, previous years as follows : 1946-47 = 337 ; 1947-48 = 333 ; 1948-49 = 416. The increases over last year are mainly in permits for females employed part time, for inexperience, and old age. The largest number of permits was issued in the Hamilton district (100), followed by New Plymouth (43), Auckland (33), and Whangarei (30). Only 105 permits were issued in the whole of the South Island. (k) Accommodation on Farms, &c. (1) Table XXI shows that the inspections of agricultural workers' accommodation have increased from 233, 230, and 232 in the three previous years to 320 in 1948-49, and 92 requisitions for improvements were served, compared with 52 in 1947-48 (Table XXVII). Most of the requisitions have been carried out, although difficulties in obtaining building-materials are holding up some improvements and cause inspectors to be hesitant in issuing requisitions except in serious cases. Inspectors comment favourably on the general standard of accommodation on farms and suggest that farmers are realizing that better living-quarters may help to solve their labour problems and are making improvements voluntarily as labour and materials become available. However, it appears that the standard varies between different parts of the Dominion, some districts reporting that there is room for a good deal of improvement. (2) Reports from districts estimate that there are approximately 2,889 shearingsheds in the Dominion which come within the provisions of the Shearers' Accommodation Act, 1919. Only 96 inspections were possible during the year, this being 28 less than last year, but 194 requisitions were served (104 more than last year), of which 67 had

34

Type of Work. Part-time Work. Inexperience. Disability. Other Reasons. M. F. M. F. M. F. M. F. | Comments. 1 Dairy-farms Farms and stations .. Market gardens Orchards Tobacco-growing 4 5 179 2 7 22 2 • 66 72 1 1 1 4 14 30 1 4 1 Includes 11 old age. Includes 27 old age. Old age. 9 181 29 2 141 4 44 6