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 376

THE BRITISH EMPIRE : — NEW SOUTH WALES

III. Manufacturks. The following table is compiled from the returns of 1918-19 :-

Value of

Goods

Classification

Estab- lishm'ts

Em- ployees

Materials and fuel

Manufac- tured or

used

work done

Treating raw pastoral products.

244

4,145

£

8,072,0531

9,706,230

Oils and fats, animal, vegetable, &c.

40

1,385

2,455,431

3,188,749

Processes in stone, clay, glass, Ac. .

290

6,531

1,013,744

2,581,575

Working in wood .....

696

8,374

2,992,036

4,560,888

Metal works, machinery, &c.

630

28.129

16,682,137

24,669,994

Connected with food and drink, &c. .

805

17,955

25,999,986

31,991,329

Clothing and textile fabrics and materials.

960

26,266

5,83^,160

9,719,421

Books, paper, printing and engraving

467

9,812

2,313,449

4,470, 684

Musical instruments, etc.

18

445

78,409

196,256

Arms and Explosives

5

1,119

61.S47

424,088

Vehicles & fittings, saddlery, harness, <fec.

469

4,697

667,124

1,488,239

Ship and boat-building

37

5,097

700,902

1,732,149

Furniture, bedding and upholstery.

258

3,844

860,541

1,553,868

Drugs, chemicals and by-products

115

2,274

507,328

2,541,187

18

186

26,612

78,681

53

767

129,989

294,902

237

4,032

1,808,142

4,307,932

Leatherware, not elsewhere included

32

855

353,456

516,655

Minor Wares, not elsewhere included

86

1,678

474,517

780,191

5,460

127,591

12,035,493"

104,803,018

1 Including value of wool treated.

Industrial Arbitration and Conciliation.

The Industrial laws of New South Wales provide for the regulation of the conditions of industries by means of industrial conciliation and arbitra- tion, and for the repression of strikes and lock-outs. Provision has been made for the registration of industrial unions of employers and of employees, for the constitution of a Court of Industrial Arbitration and subsidiary Tri- bunals — such as Wages or Industrial Boards — to decide disputes and to determine rates of wages and other industrial matters, and for the appoint- ment of a Board of Trade, under the presidency of a Judge of the Court, to exercise extensive powers regarding industrial conditions.

An Industrial Board, consisting of a chairman and two or four other members, representing equally the employers and employees, may be con- stituted for any industry or group of industries on the recommendation of the Industrial Arbitration Court ; also special boards to determine questions of demarcation. A Board may make an award fixing the lowest rates of wages, up to a maximum of £10 per week, the times and hours of work, the rates of payment for overtime, and the proportionate number of apprentices, and granting preference of employment to unionists, and determining any other industrial matter.

The Court or a board may deal with wages and hours of employment, but no award may bo made for wages lower than the living wage declared by the Boaid of Trade. Employees in rural industries are entitled to the living wage as determined after separate inquiry. Aged, infirm or slow workers may obtain permits to work for less than the minimum wage.

The Industrial Boards have been arranged upon the basis of craft or calling, those relating to allied industries being grouped under one chairman.