alarm systems and fire extinguishing equipment, fire escapes, exits and the suppression of arson. Full powers of inspection are given. All fires are to be investigated and fire insurance companies are to furnish statements as to fires in which they are interested. When the Fire Commissioner finds a building which for any cause is essentially liable to fire or finds explosives in a building it is his duty to order the condition remedied, penalties being provided for non-observance of the order.

The province of Saskatchewan passed a Fire Prevention Act (Chapter 17) almost identical with the Alberta statute. The New Brunswick Legislature authorized the municipality of the city and county of Saint John to make by-laws and regulations as to the storage and transportation of explosives and other dangerous materials.

The Federal Government repealed the section of the White Phosphorus Matches Act by which that statute was to come into force on the first day of January, 1915, exception having been made in the case of Section 5 prohibiting the sale or use of matches made of white phosporus which was to come into force on January 1, 1916. As amended the Act has been in force since the first day of January, 1915, except that the sale of matches made with white phosphorus did not become unlawful until July 1, 1916, and their use was lawful until January 1, 1917.

An amendment to the Public Health Act of Ontario (R.S., 1914, Chapter 218) is of industrial interest in that it empowers the Provincial Board of Health to make regulations as to the plumbing in any building or upon any property or highway.

REGULATION AND INSPECTION OF COAL MINES.

The Manitoba Legislature amended the Shops Regulation Act (R.S., 1913, Chapter 8). The general rules with regard to ventilation and the inspection of inflammable gas were repealed and more stringent rules were substituted. Changes were also made as to the kind of lamp allowed and the inspection of lamps.

EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

The Manitoba Legislature amended the Shops Regulation Act (R.S., 1913, Chapter 180) as to working hours of employees in shops. Children under 14 years of age are not to be employed except that a male child over 13 and under 14 may be employed on school-days for not longer than two hours or on school holidays for not longer than eight hours; a child may be so employed not longer than eight hours in any one day or forty-eight hours in any one week upon producing a certificate issued under the School Attendance Act, relieving such child from school attendance and a certificate from the Bureau of Labour permitting such employment. Young persons or women are not to be employed in shops for a longer period than sixty hours in any week or fourteen hours in any day, except that young persons whose ordinary employment about a shop is out-of-doors, may be employed for sixty-six hours in any week. In emergency cases the inspector may permit young persons or women to be employed more than sixty hours in any week, the period of employment in no case to exceed seventy hours. Young persons and women may also be employed in shops between the hours of eight in the morning and ten in the afternoon on the day before a statutory holiday and during the period between the fourteenth day of December and the twenty-fourth day of December, both inclusive. The hours allowed for meals are stated, and employers are directed to provide seats for female employees. There are also clauses as to means of extinguishing fires, means of escape in case of fire, the protection of dangerous openings in floors and walls, sanitation, over crowding, ventilation, toilet facilities, eating rooms and reporting of accidents.

A clause was added to the Factories Act of New Brunswick (1905, Chapter 7) which directed employers in shops to provide seats for female employees.

WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION.

The most important enactments under this head during the year, and indeed in the whole field of labour legislation, were the workmen's compensation laws passed in British Columbia (Chapter 77) and in Manitoba (Chapter 125). Ontario was the pioneer in Canada in the movement for better compensation legislation with an Act passed in 1914 (Chapter 25), which was followed by a practically identical statute enacted in Nova Scotia in the ensuing year (Chapter 1). Part I of the Nova Scotia law came into effect August 1, 1916, and Part II January 1, 1917. The Ontario and Nova Scotia statutes are administered on the commission plan. While the Acts passed in British Columbia and Manitoba are almost identical with the other two statutes in regard to scale of compensation and plan of administration, they differ in that both make specific provision for medical aid. The Manitoba Act states that medical assistance rendered necessary by accidents and not exceeding $100 shall be paid by the Board, while the British Columbia law gives the Board authority to furnish such medical services and hospital treatment, transportation, nursing, medicines, crutches and apparatus, including artificial members, as the Board may deem reasonably necessary at the time of injury and during the disablement. Employers under Part I of the Act are required to deduct from the earnings of their employees and to turn over to the Board the sum of one cent for each day or part of day the workman is employed as a contribution towards the cost of medical aid. The provision of the British Columbia Act with regard to medical assistance does not apply to workmen employed on board vessels on which duty has been paid for the purpose of the Sick Mariners' Fund under Part V of the Canada Shipping Act (R. S. of Canada, 1906, Chapter 113) during the period in respect of which duty has been paid or is payable. The Ontario and Nova Scotia statutes do not contain any similar provisions, although in a section added to the Ontario law in 1915 the Board is authorized to provide special surgical treatment in cases where in the judgment of the Board it is the only means of avoiding heavy payments on account of permanent incapacity and at the time of writing it is understood that the Ontario Act is likely to be further amended in this direction. The British Columbia law differs markedly from the Ontario, Nova Scotia and Manitoba Aets in that the waiting period is three days exclusive of any holiday upon which the workman would not have worked in the usual course of his employment. In Ontario and Nova Scotia compensation is not paid unless the workman is disabled for at least seven days, and in Manitoba the waiting period is six days. In Ontario, Nova Scotia and British Columbia the Accident Fund is provided by assessments levied on the employers in the industries under Part I of the laws. In Manitoba, however, the fund is provided by contributions from insurance companies and underwriters insuring employers liable to pay compensation under Part I and by employers carrying their own insurance, the compensation payable by each being paid out of the contribution made by each. All four statutes provide for industrial diseases on the same basis as accidents, and all have the same schedule of industrial diseases. The application of the British Columbia Act as to the payment of compensation took effect January 1, 1917; the Manitoba statute became effective March 1, 1917. The new laws repeal the Employers' Liability Act (R.S. Manitoba, 1913, Chapter 61), the Workmen's Compensation Act (R.S. Manitoba 1913, Chapter 209) the Employers' Liability Act (R.S. British Columbia, 1911, Chapter 74), and the Workmen's Compensation Act (R.S. British Columbia, 1911, Chapter 244).

Clauses were added to the Workmen's Compensation Act of Ontario (1914, Chapter 25) which empower the Board to require any employer in schedule 2 to make deposits out of which the Board may pay compensation for accidents to workmen of such employer as they occur and also authorize the Board upon the application of employers to add to schedules 1 and 2 of the Act any industry or department of such employers. There are also new clauses requiring employers to keep account of all wages paid and directing municipal assessors of townships and villages to make

DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR, CANADA

returns to the Board as to employers in the municipality other than farmers and merchants. With certain reservations, the construction and operation of a bridge connecting the province with an adjacent province or state was added to the list of industries under Schedule 2 of the Act. A number of amendments of minor importance were also made. A change was made in the interpretation of the term "workman " in the Saskatchewan law. In the revised reading "workman" does not include any person employed otherwise than by way of maual labour whose remuneration exceeds $1,800 per year; the former reading was $1,200. Amendments of minor importance were made in the Nova Scotia and New Brunswick laws.

EXAMINATION AND LICENSING OF WORKMEN-APPRENTICESHIP.

A Steam Boiler Act, passed in Manitoba (Chapter 103) applies to all steam boilers and steam heating plants except railway locomotives, boilers subject to inspection under the Federal Steamboat Inspection Act, and steam heating plants in private residences. The Lieutenant-Governor-in-Council may make regulations for the examination of candidates for certificates of qualification as engineers and may appoint a Board of Examiners. Inspectors may be appointed to inspect all steam boilers or steam generators before being put into use and once at least in each year to subject all boilers to hydrostatic pressure. as an engineer unless he is a British subject or has resided in Canada for at least No person is eligible for examination one year immediately preceding the date of application, and is twenty-one years of age. The Act sets forth the qualifications necessary for first-class, second-class and third-class certificates and prescribes the minimum qualifications for engineers in charge of plants of various horse-power. Every engineer is required during the continuance of his certificate to register his name with the department on before the first day of February of each year.

or

The Passenger and Freight Elevator Act (Chapter 39) enacted by the Manitoba Legislature empowers the Lieutenant-Governor-in-Council to adopt rules for the inspection and regulation of elevators and to appoint a Board of Examiners for the examination of persons desiring licenses passenger elevators must be over 17 years of age and must hold licenses from the as elevator inspectors. Bureau of Labour. Operators of Examinations for operators' licenses are accordance with rules adopted by the Lieutenant-Governor-in-Council. Municipal to be conducted in elevator inspectors appointed by any municipal council under the Municipal Act must also be examined by the Board of Examiners and must obtain licenses. is to be enforced by the Bureau of Labour.

The Act

The Saskatchewan Legislature made minor amendments to the Steam Boiler Act. Candidates for traction engineers' certificates are required to secure 50 per cent of the marks obtainable on examination papers instead of 40 per cent as formerly. In the case of candidates for third-class or traction engineers' certificates who are illiterate or do not understand the English language, the written examination may be supplemented by an oral examination and if the inspector conducting the examination is then satisfied that the candidate has sufficient knowledge of the theory and practice of operating a steam boiler and engine to entitle him to a final certificate, the certificate may be granted on the inspector's recommendation. Formerly inspectors might allow the candidate for his oral answers not more than 20 per cent of the maximum number of marks obtainable on the written examination.

The British Columbia Legislature passed the Coal Miners Certificates Act (chapter 42) which authorized the Minister of Mines on complaint or when he has reason to believe that unqualified persons are improperly holding certificates of competency as coal miners, to establish a board of investigation. The Board is to be composed of a judge of the Supreme Court, who shall be chairman, and two other members, one to be appointed by the Minister of Mines and the other by the employees of the colliery in

question. If the employees fail to appoint a person to act as member within two weeks, the Minister may make the appointment. The Board is to examine into the certificates of persons employed as coal miners in the colliery under investigation and is given all the powers of commissioners under the Public Inquiries Act. In its report to the Minister the Board is required to transmit for cancellation any certificates wrongfully held and the holders are thereafter disqualified from employment as coal miners in any colliery in the province.

The Steam Boiler Act of Quebec (Revised Statutes 1914, chapter 252) was amended as to the interpretation of the term "steam boiler" and the powers of the LieutenantGovernor-in-Council to make regulations under the Act were extended. The Boiler Act of Alberta (1911-12, chapter 9) was also amended.

The Stationary Engineers Act of Quebec (Revised Statutes 1909, ch. 2 of seventh title, sec. 6) as amended by chapter 42 of the statutes of 1914, was further amended at the session held early in 1916. The amendment provides that stationary engineers who have complied with the Act and have obtained certificates of competency under the Act, shall not be required to pass any other examination or to obtain any license or certificate from any municipal authority notwithstanding any law or municipal by-law to the contrary.

It should, perhaps, be stated under this head that the Federal Government amended the Canada Shipping Act (Revised Statutes 1906, chapter 113) in the matter of pilot apprentices at Quebec. The section which required persons wishing to become pilots at Quebec to pass their indentures of apprenticeship with the Quebec Pilots Corporation is omitted. The maximum number of pilots for the pilotage district of Quebec remains at 125, but the power of the pilotage authority for the district of Quebec to prescribe the number of apprentices is withdrawn. The section as to apprentices whose service has been interrupted by sickness or other legitimate cause is also amended.

VOCATIONAL TRAINING.

The province of Ontario passed an Adolescent School Attendance Act (chapter 62) repealing the Act which had previously been in force (Revised Statutes 1914, chapter 275). The new law empowers boards of education, urban boards of public school trustees and urban boards of separate school trustees to pass by-laws requiring the attendance at day or night classes of adolescents who are children of public or separate school supporters. Subject to the regulations of the Provincial Department of Education the by-laws may provide for the fixing of the age of attendance and of compulsory attendance of every adolescent not otherwise receiving a suitable education. They may also provide for the maintenance of courses of study, the fixing of the term and the hours, and for exemption from part or full time attendance. The Act establishes certain limitations as to the courses of study. Where schools or classes have been established under section 4 of the Industrial Education Act (which gives high-school boards and boards of education power to provide general industrial schools and courses, special industrial schools and courses, technical high schools and high school courses, co-operative industrial courses, art schools and courses, and evening schools for workmen and workwomen) the courses of study for adolescents in industrial occupations are to be under the control of the advisory industrial committees established under the Industrial Education Act (Revised Statutes 1914, chapter 276). In the same way courses for adolescents engaged in commercial occupations are placed under the control of the advisory commercial committees established under the Industrial Education Act. A procedure is outlined for communities with high schools in which classes have not been established under section 4 of the Industrial Education Act, by which the Board of Education may request the High School Board to establish such classes, and if action is not taken the matter may be brought before the electors at the next municipal election. When a by-law has been passed under the Act employers are required to give notice to the board of all adolescents employed.

MOTHERS' PENSIONS.

While this subject is somewhat outside the field of labour legislation the text of the "Mothers' Allowances Act" of Manitoba is given in this report. This law is of peculiar interest as being the first Canadian legislation on the subject of mothers' pensions.

CO-OPERATIVE ASSOCIATIONS.

The Province of Nova Scotia passed a Fishermen's Co-operative Societies Act (chapter 5) which provided that such fishermen's co-operative societies as meet the conditions set forth in the Act, may be incorporated under the Nova Scotia Companies Act. Certain provisions of the Companies Act, however, were held not applicable to any fishermen's co-operative society so incorporated. Chapter 30 of the Statutes of 1910 entitled "An Act to Provide for the Organization of Fishermen's Unions" was repealed. An Act amending the statute which incorporated the Workmen's Store Company, Limited, of Cape Breton, was also passed.

Chapter 17 of the Statutes of Prince Edward Island incorporated the Farmers' Union Co-operative Society, Limited, and empowered it to carry on a general wholesale and retail mercantile business, to deal in real estate and to operate steamships and boats. The Saskatchewan Legislature repealed the section of the Agriculture Cooperative Association Act (1913 chapter 62) which deals with the division of profits substituting a new section therefor and the province of Alberta amended the section of the Co-operative Societies Act (1913 chapter 12) which outlines the procedure for the incorporation of an association.

The text of these laws is not reproduced.

HOUSING.

In Nova Scotia the Legislature passed an Act (chapter 40) to encourage housing accommodation in the city of Halifax. This law which is modelled after the Ontario Act (1913, chapter 57) authorizes the city of Halifax to guarantee the securities of a company incorporated under the Nova Scotia Companies Act whose main purposes are the acquisition of land in or near the city and the building thereon of dwellings to be rented at moderate rentals. In no case is the amount of securities guaranteed to exceed eighty-five per cent of the amount named in the deed as representing the value of the land and housing accommodation. Dividends upon the capital stock of any such company must not exceed six per cent.

The New Brunswick Legislature authorized the city of St. John to erect on lands of the city or upon land acquired for the purpose, dwellings for workmen which may be rented or sold to workmen on terms approved by the council. The city is empowered to issue debentures to the amount of $50,000 and for a term of not more than twenty years to defray any expenses incurred under the Act. The same province by an amendment to the Health Act empowered local boards of health to order insanitary dwellings closed as unfit for human habitation and gave the building inspector of the city of Moncton powers to inspect all buildings and to order the removal of rubbish and inflammable materials. The laws to encourage housing accommodation in Halifax and St. John are the only statutes on this subject included in this report.