(which may during the first seven years be reduced to 280) of young persons up to the age of eighteen. During the first seven years, however, the attendance of young persons between the ages of 16 and 18 is not obligatory. An important provision re-enacted is that giving power to the Local Education Authority for Higher Education to re

quire a young person's employment to be suspended on any day when his attendance at a continuation school is required, not only during the actual school hours, but also for a sufficient period, not exceeding two hours, to render him mentally and bodily fit to receive full benefit from his attendance at the school.

IN order to meet the greatly increasing demand in Denmark for conciliation in labour disputes, an Act came into effect on January 1, which has for its object the improvement of the legislation of 1910 (amended in 1918 and 1919), which provided for a Permanent Arbitration Court and a Public Conciliator.

The Permanent Court consists of an equal number of representatives of employers and workers elected by their respective national federations, with a president and two or three vice-presidents of judicial qualifications, who are paid officials. The jurisdiction of the Court extends to industry and handicrafts, agriculture, transport and commerce, and general office work. Its functions are to enforce and interpret existing collective agreements. Up to the year 1920 the Court dealt with 363 cases of which almost half fell within the last three years. Of these, 70 per cent were heard and settled; 20 per cent were disposed of in the preliminary proceedings, and 10 per cent were withdrawn.

The Public Conciliator is a paid official, appointed by the Minister of the Interior on the nomination of the Permanent Arbitration Court for a period of two years. His functions are defined in the Act as being "to endeavour to adjust disputes between employers and workpeople," his intervention or nonintervention in any particular dispute being left to his own discretion. Whenever a strike or lockout has occurred, or

seems likely to occur, which threatens to have serious consequences for the community, and after negotiations between the parties have proved fruitless, the Conciliator may, either on his own initiative or at the request of one of the parties, summon both to a conference. This summons they must obey. At this conference he is empowered to suggest terms of settlement, but these must not be published, according to the original legislation, without the consent of both parties unless a stoppage of work takes place. If, in the course of the negotiations, differences of opinion arise on important questions of wages or hours of labour, the Conciliator may require both parties to furnish information on these points; if the information furnished appears unsatisfactory, he may demand an examination of witnesses before the Permanent Court. Up to the year 1921, however, it had not been found necessary to make use of this power. During the period from October, 1910 to the middle of 1919, the Conciliator dealt with 132 cases, in 99 of which he succeeded in bringing about a settlement during the preliminary negotiations.

The new Act does not affect the Permanent Arbitration Court in any way. With regard to conciliation procedure it was agreed that the existing system had worked satisfactorily, and that there was no necessity for making any alteration in principle. In view of the great increase of work, it was, however, necessary to appoint three conciliators

THE HE following is a statement by industrial groups of the more important changes in rates of wages and hours of labour reported to the Department of Labour in recent months.

MINING.-Timmins, Ont.

Wages of

1,500 gold miners were reduced 6 cents per hour, or 48 cents per shift at the end of January.

Porcupine, Ont. Wages of employees of mining companies were reduced at the end of January, reductions in one case being as follows: men in mill, formerly receiving 53-62 cents per hour, reduced to 47-56 cents; men in shops, formerly receiving 53-75 cents per hour, reduced to 47-69 cents; miners, formerly receiving 59-66 cents per hour, reduced to 53-60 cents.

IRON AND STEEL MANUFACTURES.

Port Arthur, Ont. Wages per hour of employees in shipbuilding were reduced 10 per cent on March 13, and hours per week increased from 54 to 60.

Hamilton, Ont. Wages of 17 jobbing moulders were reduced on February 11 from 80 cents per hour to 672 cents; hours per week, 48.

Guelph, Ont. Wages of certain employees of one firm were reduced on January 9, as follows: iron moulders, from 61 1-9 cents; coremakers from 45 to 40 61 1-9-76 1-3 cents per hour to 52 7-9cents.

TEXTILE MANUFACTURES.-St. Hyacinthe, Que. Wages of certain clothing workers were reduced 10 per cent on April 1, 1920, hours per week, 55.

Hamilton, Ont. Wages of clothing workers in one firm were reduced on February 1, as follows: cutters (men), from $26.00-36.00 to $25.00-32.00; off pressers (men), from $34.00 to $30.60; seam pressers (men), from $18.00-29.00 to $17.00-27.00; operators (men), from

$20.00-41.00 to $19.00-36.90; operators (women), from $19.00-25.50 to $18-24; tailors (men), from $20-34 to $19.00- • 30.60; hand sewers (women) from $14.50-23.50 to $14-23. Any receiving $14 or under were not reduced. Hours per week, 44. In another firm an adjustment of the payroll in February affected 87 per cent of the employees by an average reduction of 8 1-4 per cent. In a third firm, reductions on February 1, were as follows: cutters (male), reduced from $34.00 per week to $30.60; trimmers (male), from $28-34 to $25.6530.60; operators, male and female, from $14-42 to $13-38; hand sewers, male and female, from $14-31 to $13-30; pressers (male), from $14.34 to $10.0030.60. Hours per week 40; no work on Saturday.

MISCELLANEOUS

MANUFACTURES.

St. Hyacinthe, Que. Wages of employees manufacturing musical instruments reduced 10 per cent on April 1.

Peterborough, Ont. Wages of employees manufacturing electrical supplies were reduced about 10 per cent on February 1. The chief classes affected

were machinists reduced from a maximum of 75 cents per hour to a maximum of 61 cents; fitters from 40-672 cents to 362-55 cents; labourers, from 30-40 cents to 25-362 cents. Rates for apprentices were changed from 18-2434 cents to 182-222 cents.

BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION.-Halifax, N.S. Wages in the building trades were reduced 15 per cent on February 17, as follows: carpenters reduced from 66 to 57 cents; plumbers from 70 to 60 electricians, from 70 to 60 cents; brickcents; painters, from 66 to 57 cents; layers, masons and plasterers, from 75 to 64 cents, all working 44 hours per week.

Quebec, Que. Wages of painters were reduced on February 1 from 47-55 cents

per hour to 40-48 cents. nine in summer, eight in winter.

London, Ont. Wages of carpenters were reduced on February 1 from 75 to 70 cents per hour; hours per week, 44.

Ottawa, Ont. Wages of bricklayers, masons and carpenters were reduced 5 cents per hour to be effective on May 1, as follows: masons and bricklayers, reduced from 90 cents to 85 cents; carpenters, from 75 cents to 70 cents, all working 44 hours.

Toronto, Ont. Reduction in wages of plasterers effective April 1, from $1.00 to 90 cents per hour, hours, 44 per week.

Windsor, Ont. Hourly wages of carpenters were reduced on April 1, from 90 cents to 80 cents, 48 hours per week.

Winnipeg, Man. Wages of plumbers were reduced from $1.00 to 90 cents per hour, to be effective on May 1; hours per week, 44.

Victoria, B.C. Wages in building trades reduced on February 20 as follows: carpenters, from $6.60 (June, 1921) to $5.00; painters, from $5.60 to $4.80; plumbers, from $7.20 to $6.00; masons and bricklayers, from $8.00 to $6.80 and $7.00; plasterers and stone cutters, from $8.00 to $6.80; electricians, from $7.00 to $6.00; sheet metal workers, from $6.40 to $6.00; labourers, from $4.00-4.50 to $3.50-4.00; all working 44 hours per week, and paid for 4 hours on Saturdays.

Amherst, N.S.

CIVIC EMPLOYEES. Wages of civic officials and employees were reduced 10 per cent on March 1. Street labourers were reduced from $20.64 to $18.00 per week of 54 hours; police patrol men were reduced 10 per cent on the old rate of $90-105 per month.

Brandon, Man. Wages of civic employees were reduced 12 1-2 per cent on January 1, hours remaining the same. Wages for last year were: Street railway department: motormen, 45 to 50 cents; car cleaners, 43 cents, hours, nine per day. Pumping station: firemen, $110 per month; labourers, 40 cents per hour, 48 hours per week. Health department teamsters and helpers, 40 cents. 50 hours per week. Works, sewer and water departments: labourers, 40 cents; cement finishers, 52 1-2 cents; cement foreman, 60 cents; scantling men, 47 1-2 cents, 50 hours per week.

Saskatoon, Sask. Wages of electrical workers were reduced about 2.75 per cent, effective January 1. Street Railway employees' wages were reducedsee under "Transportation." Wages of the clerical staff have been reduced in many instances 2.75 per cent.

Edmonton, Alta. Wages of civic employees were reduced February 1, as follows: wages of fire fighters were reduced $5 per month; wages of employees in the police department were reduced $5 per month; wages of employees at power

plant were reduced 4 cents per hour; wages of teamsters and common labourers were reduced from 60 to 54 cents per hour, and of experienced labourers, from 65 to 59 cents; operators of engines and boilers, from 70 to 64 cents and meter installers, etc., from 75 to 69 cents. Telephone operators' wages were reduced

from $80-95 per month to $71-91. Steam shovel and dredgemen's wages were reduced from $1. to 88 cents, and civic carpenters from 82 to 78 cents.

Saanich, B.C. Wages of 95 civic labourers were reduced from $4.00 to $3.20 per day. Hours per week, 44.

more important industrial agreements and schedules of wages and working conditions that have recently been received by the Department. Similar agreements are summarized each month in the LABOUR GAZETTE. In the majority of cases the agreements are signed by both employers and employees, but verbal agreements are also included in the records, the latter being schedules of rates of wages, hours of labour and other conditions of employment agreed upon between the parties concerned, and in effect though not signed. In the case of each agreement the rates of wages for principal classes of labour are given, with other information of general interest.

Printing and Publishing.

NANAIMO, B.C.-ONE PRINTING FIRM AND INTERNATIONAL TYPOGRAPHICAL UNION NO. 337. Agreement signed by one firm to be in effect from May 1, 1921, to November 1, 1922, and verbally accepted by others from May 1, 1921, pending a general settlement re the forty-four hour week in Vancouver.

Minimum wages: per week-journeymen, compositors, typesetting machine operators, ad-men and other employees of news and job composing rooms, day work, $39; night work, $42.

Hours per day, hand compositors, floormen, machine operators, 72, in all offices doing book, book, job and newspaper work combined; 44 hours to constitute a week's work. In case of a

on five days, and four hours on any stated sixth day.

Foremen, 50 cents per day or night above journeymen's wages.

Apprentices in fifth year, two-thirds of journeymen's wages.

Beginners on machines to be active members of union and receive wages as per special agreement. One apprentice for each five machines,or fraction thereof.

Overtime, first five hours, time and one-half. Thereafter, double time. Holi

days, double time. Five hours to constitute a night's work before holidays, on morning papers.

Operators on machines to be journeymen members of union, in good standing. Apprentices in last six months to have privilege of practising on machines.

A sub, after working in an office for fifteen days not to be discharged for incompetency, provided foreman has not previously notified chairman of incompetency of said sub.

Apprentices. One apprentice for each six journeymen. No youth under sixteen to be apprenticed. Apprentices after second year to be compelled to take the I. T. U. course, Union to advance loan for same if necessary. During second and third years, apprentice must be employed on composition at least two and onehalf hours per day, and one-half such time on display work. During fifth year, apprentice must be allowed to work