ENG-1956 — Page 71

OCCUPATIONS, WAGES AND LABOUR ORGANIZATION

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Minor Disputes. The number of minor disputes dealt with by the Labour Department during the year was 1048, a drop of some 15% compared with the figure for 1955. This decline is partly a reflection of reluctance on the part of workers in general to take any action which may jeopardize their employment.

LEGISLATION

In January the Workmen's Compensation (Exception of Prisoners) Order, 1956, was made to clarify the status of prisoners under the Workmen's Compensation Ordinance. In June the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance (Amendment of Second Schedule) Order, 1956, was made in order to ensure effective control, under the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance, of any industrial under- taking in which X-ray or radio-active substances are used for industrial purposes. In July the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Amendment) Regulations, 1956, were intro- duced in order to apply certain of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Regulations to building and engineering con- struction sites. In September the Workmen's Compensation (Rules of Court) (Amendment) Rules, 1956, were made in order to abolish, under the Workmen's Compensation Ordin- ance, all Court fees relating to workmen's compensation claims and awards, and their enforcement.

Further progress was made with the Trade Unions Regis- tration Bill, and with draft legislation on apprenticeship and on the inspection and control of pressure vessels.

SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELFARE

Factory Registration and Inspection. Factory registration and inspection is undertaken by the Labour Department to ensure proper standards of industrial health and safety. During the year 507 applications for registration were received and 488 registration certificates were issued; 12 were refused, the premises being closed down; and 80 applications