.3

 19. Labour Advisory Board: The Labour Advisory Board comprise repre-
sentatives of Employers and Employees in equal numbers, along with 3 mem-
bers with special knowledge.- The members represent not sectional interests
but the interests of the Colony as a whole. The Board advise the Govern-
ment on all matters connected with labour in the Colony. The Board met
once during the year.
 20. Stoppage of Work: There was dissatisfaction on the part of the cane
cutters of the Mt. Bentinck Estate with the result that for about 3 months
the full labour force was never at work at any one time. This is the third year
that this has happened and efforts are, being made to get Mt. Bentinck to con-
sider the matter seriously.
 21. A number of cane fires occurred. About 168 acres were burnt but about
160 acres were reaped.
 22. There was dissatisfaction*also on the Richmond Vale Land Settlement
Estate as regards the price paid per basket of arrowroot and the price was
increased from 25t to 30q per basket.

 IV. SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELFARE.
 23. A Factories Bill is now before the Legislative Council.
 24. During the year 40 cases were reported to the Department in connec-
 tion with workmen's compensation as against 18 the previous year. This is
 apparently because more people are getting to realise that this is one direction
 in which they can also be helped by the Department of Labour. The enact-
 ment of the Factories Ordinance will also make it more obvious' to more people.
 25. First Aid Boxes and Playing Fields are provided by many Estates. In
 a few oases the First Aid work is done by the Nives of the Plani.ers. A very
 good Playing Field. is now being put down on the Mt. Bentinck Estate.
 26. Efforts are being made to get Employers to provide their workers with
 more welfare facilities.

 V. LIVING CONDITIONS.
 27. Efforts are being made to provide people with low-cost houses by means
 of Self-Aided Housing Schemes.
 28. The majority of articles have been decontrolled.
 29. Details of the cost-of-living index figures and the retail prices of some
 of the more important items included in the index are given in TabJe 7.
 VI. HEALTH.
 30. No diseases affecting labour in the Colony presented any great problem
 during the year.
 31. In addition to the Colonial Hospital in Kingstown, there are 21 rural
 dispensaries where regular clinics are held by District Medical Officers.
 32. There has been little or no change in the diet of working-class persons.

 VII. SOCIOLOGICAL ASPECTS.
 33. No workers were recruited during the year. The number of workers
 still in the U.S.A. at the 31st December, 1954 was 64. The workers on their return
 home from U.S.A. do improve their living conditions.
 34. During the year 151 recruited workers who were laid off in Aruba,
 returned home. This leaves 305 workers still in Aruba. Five workers also re.
 turned from Curacao. This leaves 267 workers still in Curacao.
 VIII. SOCIAL SECURITY.
 35. There are no social security schemes in St. Vincent. This is not prac-
 ticable at the present stage of economic development of -the Colony.
 36. There is a Workmen's Compensation Ordinance under which workers
 are entitled to compensation for injuries rising out of and in the course of
 their employment. Many workers belong to Friendly Societies and Trade
 Unions which provide sick and death benefits. The sum of $15,000 was pro-
 vided by Government for public assistance during the year.
 IX. WOMEN' AND CHILDREN.
 37. Legislation exists for the protection of women and children as pro-
 vided for in ILO Conventions.
 38. The School Age is from 5-15 years. There is no compulsory educa-
 tion as this is not practicable at the present time.