H.—II

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Dunedin. —One case under the Factories Act (two charges) : One charge for working in an unregistered factory, and one for employing lad under sixteen years of age without a permit from Inspector ; penalty, 10s., with 7s. costs, in each case. December, 1902. Auckand. —One case under the Factories Act, for employing three women on the Saturday half-holiday. The Inspector found the employees working three times during the afternoon, although defendant was cautioned each time. Penalty, £7, with £1 9s. costs. One case under the Shops Act, for failing to close shop on the half-holiday; penalty, 10s., with 7s. costs. Dunedin. —Two cases under the Factories Act : One for failing to register factory ; penalty, 10s., with 7s. costs. The other case for employing lad under sixteen years of age without certificate from Inspector ; penalty, 10s., with 7s. costs. One case under the Shops Act, for failing to close shop on the half-holiday ; penalty, 10s., with 7s. costs. Januaey, 1903. Aratapu.- —One case under the Factories Act (three charges) : One for employing boys under sixteen years of age over forty-five hours in a week ; penalty, £1, with £3 10s. costs. One for failing to give holiday on statutory holiday under the Act to boys under sixteen and under eighteen ; penalty, £1, with 9s. costs. The other charge for employing lads under sixteen years of age without certificate by Inspector ; penalty, 10s., without costs. Wanganui. —One case under the Factories Act, for failing to allow employee the Saturday half-holiday ; penalty, 55., with 7s. costs. Several other charges against the same defendant were withdrawn. One case under the Shops Act, for failing to close shop on the half-holiday ; case dismissed. Wellington. —Two cases under the Factories Act: One for employing women overtime without permit; penalty, £1, with 7s. costs. The other case for failing to provide sanitary accommodation ; penalty, £1, with 7s. costs, and the work to be carried out within fourteen days. Christchurch. —Two cases under the Shops Act, for failing to close shop on the weekly halfholiday ; penalties, Is. each, with 7s. costs each. Dunedin. —Two cases under the Shops Act, for failing to close shops on the weekly halfholiday ; penalties, 10s., without costs, and £1, with 7s. costs. February, 1903. Auckland. —One case under the Shops Act, for employing assistant on the half-holiday. This was a test case to determine whether a chemist could, under the exemption allowing him to open for urgent business, employ an assistant on the half-holiday. Conviction obtained; penalty, Is., with costs £1 Bs. Dunedin. —One case under the Shops Act, against a Chinaman, for failing to close shop for halfholiday (second offence); penalty, £1, with 7s. costs. Invercargill. —One case under the Factories Act (three charges), failing to keep record of earnings paid and of persons employed, failing to pay wages, and for employing four women on the statutory half-holiday; penalties, £5 each—£ls, with costs £8 3s. Wages Protection Act. —The following case was settled out of Court by the Department of Labour acting as arbitrators : Latta Bros., sawmill-owners, Owaka, had been deducting accidentinsurance premiums from the wages of their men. Case settled by firm's agreeing to discontinue the practice, and refunding premiums already collected, amounting to £48 19s. March, 1903. Masterton. —One case under the Shops Act, against Chinaman, for failing to close shop on the half-holiday; penalty, 10s., with costs. Dunedin. —One case under the Shops Act, for failing to close shop on the half-holiday; penalty, ss. Invercargill. —One case under the Shops Act, for failing to close shop on the half-holiday; penalty, 10s., with 7s. costs.

DAYS APPOINTED FOR THE CLOSING OF SHOPS FOE 1903. Complete list of days appointed by City and Borough Councils and Town Boards for the closing of shops in their respective districts : — Tuesday Afternoon. —Papakura. Wednesday Afternoon. —Arrowtown, Auckland and suburbs, Balclutha, Birkenhead, Blenheim, Brunnerton, Bull's, Cambridge, Campbelltown, Clinton, Clyde, (see Wairoa), Cromwell, Dannevirke, Devonport, Dunedin and suburbs, Feilding, Foxton, Gore, Green Island, Greymouth, Halcombe, Hamilton, Hampden, Havelock, Hastings, Hawera, Hawkesbury, Hokitika, Invercargill and suburbs, Kaitangata, Kaikora North, Kuinara, Lawrence, Lower Hutt, Manaia, Marton, Mataura, Milton, Motueka, Napier, Nelson, Newmarket, Ngaruawahia, Normanby, Onehunga, Opotiki, Opunake, Ormondville, Otautau, Pahiatua, Palmerston North, Palmerston South, Patea, Petone, Queenstown, Eiverton, Eoss, Eotorua, Southbridge, Tapanui, Taradale, Turakina, Waibi, Waipawa, Wairoa, Waverley, Wellington and suburbs, Winton, Woodville, Wyndham. Thursday Afternoon. —Akaroa, Alexandra South, Ashburton, Carterton, Christchurch and suburbs, Eltham, Featherston, Geraldine, Gisborne, Greytown (Allanton), Greytown North, Hampstead, Helensville, Inglewood, Kaiapoi, Kamo, Kihikihi, Masterton, Mosgiel, Naseby, New Plymouth, Oamaru, Picton, Eangiora, Bichmond, Eoxburgh, Stratford, Tauranga, Te Aroha, Te Awamutu, Temuka, Thames, Timaru, Tinwald, Waimate, Waitara, Wanganui, Westport, Whangarei. Saturday Afternoon. —Amberley, Outram.