STATE OF TRADE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 432, 15 February 1909, Page 4

STATE OF TRADE.

,' GENERAL SLACKNESS REPORTED

PROSPECTS NOT ENCOURAGING.

I „ DEPARTMENTAL AND UNION REPORTS [ ' Much interesting matter is contained in tho Labour JournaLfor, last month, which , to hand on Saturdaj. Tho DepartI mont's ropoits on tho state of trade in ( various parts of tho Dominion are bound to , secure a good deal of attention, more cspeciI- illy as it was recently lopresentecLto the , Government by a, deputation from tho Trades' I Council that in most branches of trade- work ' is anything but plentiful. Of equal lntorj est aro > the reports from secretaries of mi dustrial unions The total number of workers I- < assisted by the Dopartmont last month wds [ 846—823 mainedvmcn and 623 single men * \ Upon them a total of 665' persons wore def dendent. In all, 305 wero sent to private }. employment and 541 to Government works Tho cause of failure to get work is stated in i all but two of tho cases to have been slack- * ness, of trade Of the assisted persons 23 £ sf m,O i'^? m^-' le C ommonTOa l t h ana 162 from [ Great Britain. . During December 352 artii eans and 4031 labourers wero cmplojed on I co-operative .works in, connection with tho fc Pnbho Works Department, and 4679 labourI era by, tho Department of Roads. • i ' ■—- ,

iuroar.tq; drawjiipon. - The newly arrived, /assisted immigrants of tho farming class were generally.good men,-;and employers : have ex--jiHssed ■satisfaction iWith, , -thy': Oepartmetit's "selection"': Thete is' still plough-' nieii anil milkers',; and several marriedcouple'e positions-remain, open.;- .One hundred' and. v assisted to public arid .pjiyaieCeniployment during the period., ,';; ':■ '■.Thore.'is , ' a'general' slackness in trade andjlabour;' for.; ; the, : present month;' This : is no doubt 1 due in a great, measure to the 'holidays- interfering with 'the ordinary, course -of. businisss/ as: so, many people are. away from ipwuiduriiigfDecember. .Business.hasVolso been ;Very 'much-:interfered with owing to the ■trouble^iwith;: the .minors■■:■' -.- Huntly rand other.'distriotis. ■''"■;,)':', •, ; ; •;':,.; ■*■.■■?■'•■ v..'; '■'v^ade''for?.th L e.?month%just ended'■■ has, on fthe' ';'whole, : ; beenr good, ' and, .thouglu little 'jnjprbved .since I 'last month', has,.been .quite up to-the .expectations of many'. tradespe6nle. v■ i\'''%'.' reported by;. most, retailers that- the .trade-has' been steady, and in.the. grocery line , --.brisk. -/.Manufacturers; report, "a sa'tisfaotorv, busin : 6ss ; -for';the month. Trade been 'very.;, quiet-; .'biii' employers' report; an.-improvement, and I ihingsjare looking brighter... , . Clothing trades ■.hayo.'cbeenyvery .fair;-•.and;' as several', large -firms; have, '.'just;started: : their; clearing.'sales, ■ busin&s 'ia'iexpected;!.to'.,be .brisker.