SUMMARY OF CONDITIONS.

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

SUMMARY OF CONDITIONS.

f Tho following presents in a conciso and accessiblo form a statement as to the i , conditions of trade in the chief and secondary towns of tho Dominion: —

REPORTS BY--DEPARfMENTAL OFFICERS. ~\' '; ! , Following are the official repoTte on tho. ocnditione of employment and , trade at various centres during'last month — w^lWgton. ' ' ' During the motth"; jnst ended trade -goneri ally cannot be said to have been good Some i trades have been-'lusy, while others have ' been practically at N a standstill "This month, I immediately following the holidays, is usuallj a slaok ono, but'as compared with the cor- \' responding month of previous yoara it can * ' safely be said to havo been a slack, ono, and ■■ in. many instances a grcat'falling-olf in trade has been experienced kJ S^ Building trades—Bricklaying;* slack, with , little prospect of am immediate improvement, i there are several men out'of ..employment. Carpentry and joinery no rndi; , ■" cation of an improvement; several men are ' out of work Painting fairly good, although a slight falling-o2 in trade is being exporlJ enceo Plastenng very"slack, httlp or nothing doing, and several men out of ,- employmenK Plumbing and ga6fittmg goo'd; ' plenty of work, and all ■ ployed Stonemasonryj fairly good, novmen 1 are out of employmejw ,1 • \ ... . l \ 'Woodworking trades—Boxmakmg good, a [ great improvement is* being shown Cabineti making and upholstering—These trades-are ' only fair, some factories leport that fair I trade isjeing-dflne,, whilst others report a i slackness. Coopering good, and still improving. Sash and door factories fair, with no improvement on. last'month Sawmillmg „ very quiet, little or nothing doing, a number of mills contemplate down Wood- , turning, etc, improving, and a little bettci t than last month ■■ i Engineering trades Boilcnnaking rather ' slack, J>ui jmproving Brass and coppeit smithing very slack,' and some factories have -,_ had to put a- number of hands off Electn- ; 'cal engineering slack, with little prospect i of an improvement, does not compare f avouri ably ■Rith corresponding month of last year I 'Fitting and turning still on the slack side, although a slight improvement is being ex- '\ / perienced Iron and brass moulding slack, * factories shortening hands. Range-making i Black, although said to be improving Leather trades- 'Boolmaking (factories) — Very good business being dono, and factories are working full time. Bootmakmg (repair . ( business'boinw done Saddlery ; end harnessmaking f airlj< good, and employers express themselves quite satisfied with, tho f amount of trade dome-. , 1 Clothing r trades—Dressmaking and jiulhnery fairly'good, although a fallirig-oft is 1 being shown Shirtmakmg fairly good, although»notrso good as , might be txpectod; an s improvement is being looked forward to. Tailoring (factories) fairly busy, soma fac- ,, v tones report that good trade is being done, while other* rpport a slackness Tailoring. (order} fairly good,, although a falluiE-oft Iβ being shown, does not compare favouri ably with the corresponding month of last I year Vr'oollen-milling fairly all hands fully employed. •. Retail trados- Clpthing' good,"and employers are quite-'satisflcd with tho amount ! of trade being done Bopts good, and quito. ' up to the usual standard of previous years , Drapery good, and compares favourably with the corresponding month, of last jear Groceries fairly good, and shows signs of a further improvement Printing trades Bookbinding very busy, with all hands fully emplojed Printing J fairly good, factories working full time [- Meat-freezing, etc Tanning, cuiryyig, I and fellmongering, 'slaughtering, freezing, v and preserving—flood in 'all departments / This has been a record month, Plenty of i stock,are coming in, and good wages are I being made. - > i Coachbuildmg trades Blacksmijhing fairly Rood; shops kept going, hands working full time Coach, carriage, and tra.mcar building only fair forjho season of the year, just enougH work to keep hands fully employed. Cjoje and motor trades—Only fair* trade .being done, hands kept going on repairwork, i Unskilled labour : Some difficulty has been experienced m pla'citog men during the period, although with perhaps the exception of a week, thei Department \ has,been in a position offer .tQfJocal married men, used to pick-and-shovcl work, employment on rail-way-formation bofch-m the North and South i Islands, In the early part of-tho month the number of callers af'the 1 ofGcc for emr ployment averagod a little over forty per i > day, whilst towards ,tlio latter end the J averago was fortj-five per day . The proportion of marneU men appljing Was about \ twenh five per cent of the'whole In regard to the city itself there was absolutely I ' no demand for unskilled labour, and unless ) mon wore pTpparcd to go into the country the officers of the Department nere unable to help th«m A largo proportion of tho applicants were strangers from,, the Old Country and ilndccd, the weeklf'Australian boat is generally lesponsiblo' \ for adding, sovortl scotcs f pf men as apjiliqnnts to the. Department for work, and it has been-found' that frcqnentlv with little else but musclp and .brawn to commend themi Bflve* for work; ( and hare not even the wherewithal to payi tram and r boat fires when employment is offered Then, too, many of tho applicants'have spent their hard-earned! cheques yi town, and wlifcn penniless lmo appealed to the Department for work. Some of tho clwques knocked down in tbo city range I f/om £25 to £60, representing tho savings of months oMinr/d work Firm-work was freely i offered during ,tbo npriod,, and 'the .Depart-' meat had rifcher a better class of men thai) .

Bootmaking: is..reported as' Very' g'op'd, ;/ 'and empjoyers':-:cpmplain,'that.suitable'.hands"M :.iiot".;beK; l bbtained:;:j;]!;hgineeririg ' trades 'are. : reportedv'as".biisyiV.with all hands' "employed; out: .with; vno'; ripenings: .for outside men. J 'A : litttepvPrtime: is-being:'worked*:in -the mould-'ing-;;trade.^;y:-:;:;-.;vf : :J : i;' , .^'r:" , :; ■'■■■.. .Thej,yajioJK';i|:etall':;tradcs ore~:repoffed.as '■"iii n gl^^^qiiiet i:: at.f:jJrcsent,Wan^-prpsp,epts are_.not, encpuraging'i.^^lanufacturing./ trades dp,)not'.shpwj'ariy. imjjrpyeinonti'sirice last' reand 'painting .trados.are.-if possible,"inj'ii'worso" condition' ■™^^fi^X^?■'/^'^P^pV■CPf-'β^ o^'': *^iαdesna■^ : ;•■ob.t■ St.wofkVv-Avnimb'e^ '• .wbrkf (fysew'fiefe; :'and ; several; have 'accepted.: pick Sand jshoVel/' wort; until -. 'there respective trades? slack; -I^ hands.ftilly;.;. employed. , ?'■ iTailqripJe!;* dressmafc-" ingYl.iriyiiijeryVtWprk^'cabiri^makin^^ Jiols,tenng,';:. ; c6ntiriue;;;fairly:v;b^ are'"fully .■employed/ ■..andr.prpspects.are; fairly gpod; jßuttSr'andVcl\eese..;nianufacturing is ;.S4tj_sfaotpry,C-(an I IM bj3i«g:^hpTOY,in;'.p:pmparisouJmth^^ :period r 'Vlait;-year in i'every,> fa'c^ry.; t^ put r^e^district.i!:v^er(!^^ the -output'fo'r-'.'tlie':;^^seasoti.■will be much: , .-]!! flast, year;:: and .;\vjll\; very, , probably; 4pnstitHte^a r -recprdr;fof\the industry; 'Kh ; '.:'r i^t^^liiiM^y^^So^i'fi'J.^ fl;There vhas/npt' .been.Vtji'ei.e'xpected trade;,-generally month>;: : ';Tlie':. r yery ; .';changeable^■ ; weather fe,greatly, accounts' for'•'this; Quantities'.:, considerable ■ '-labour :-'pa-''-'fx& quick- jandji satisfactofy'.; returrisi >;iiave: been ispbiled fby ;'continued..'web;:;and "■ coldweiither.' v r ' Numerous ; b'rbps' ' throughout' the district;-; priricjp.ally'oats,; ;have" ; wise, w With.-' •such l prolific. seaspnV not tarded;! thus 'ipl knyiidrought, -ife; is ■' u'n-fprtunate.tlfaV.rain-'should-novv, cause''a : se'|r; ce'l!en't,v ; ;,an'd',.; , they.: ; abßridance\'of) V; grass ;is .exceedingly:', slack j/sonie;mills liaVe; hot opened,; while'. others are ■ only. working half- ; timeyyj"Seyerals.firM'.;.'ar^--:justi'nbw : "/erigafesd puttirig v millin''g^p'lantsyiinto;:new : ;'.bush; they ;thert*bo/ ready jib .CopV^ithVany. demand forT : loc^7';timber;',when : r the ! present "slump iIS-'-ati-an^erd/i'^X^^^fe^K;;.; ,^^.-;'-:.::;;;1 :;; ; report;;for the 'lnoni/hs^^,of ; -:January,, and:, mdicatip'ns .do' hot; pointy to: ; inyr/r-iinmediate. Vimprpvement.'.in trades 'generally; ;s;;U l 'armers';'rei?prt'; a; splendid :harvestr--in.;-fact, many state it' is the c best .ekp.erienceH.;ior 1 sereralvyears;'past.,'.; The-. majorityj'pf, .. are".'; hbldiiig; :'sales, but. up Vto.' ; i ■;: "" v- : -tt^-> ; fA^? ; 2;:; ; 'Vj::;;" fkirly as: : regards; business"; Indoor, work.ers,have:had littlo:to complain.of,^hut-broken weather'has interfered greatly with ; the out-'-.dpbrjartisahs.;.,Tliere.;has':bebri.;a ;large nun;-: ■:berTp'f. i'off them;;hayo"been .new arrivals. ■route,; through;' the .Dominion seeking : some .convenient;spot on',which-tP'settle.*; Several ha've'.'been .satisfactorily. .-.-:,.'; ; ;;, : .:.: "(', :■•; ■^®f' ; ;^.l'W-v 'w^oyJ;;'^ ;■:; U./: ".The■fetiirtra'de; v during : the pastVmonth is reported as fafc though;nearly .all shopkee.p- , ers.:state,-that'the business : done;is-not quite .'W.^?J^7 Jo ;i?,eing'thejscarcity.;,pf .ready; cash.',;. Various , leasonß' are give'a. f,or this, : some saying that jreturns.;. are.; not; : yet.. r to, hand from woPl and fruit;sales-,.,.■ Manufacturing indußtries' generally .c.ontinue:,yery Ifair. : : -Tradesmen both' in--sidp , ,iand;..outside;;are.,making . fairly.' , ., good ..HwS'i'Jn.vtlie country districts, this.season's ;crpps.have been.fairly "good,; arid harvest is ;now. ■nearing- 'conipletfori.' ■' Hop-picking ■>■ will' ."commence■ m' the;Motuekal'and Riwaka; dis;tnc_ts;next month."-Atthe'present time.it is anticipated tliat";'there will" be sufficientiab.pur.in.thevdistrict'.'tojsupply theldemand for .•y.;^:...-.:-., :: -y ■. *&£p. ; .:#£bHMsJcltiracfl. ! i ;: i :j'>,; ; ; ; /: ■j. The^past\mpntn'fsn'owj;.very.'iittieAlteration in.\the:stato;pf-trade', Bomp;of the■ manufacturers: aro;;makirigi'MipS?stock : jn' preparation for increased;biisines"^ / a little later on,' and :also' with" a view/pfffeiepingftheir'workers employed.- iV.TheSmohth.-of January -is' recoß;nised as.(being^rie.vbf'fthe-.quietest : of ■ the ;year, but^o^hapV-:,trade , is hardly'.as.buoyant >s,jn soMe.of the.past,.prb'sperous seasons; ;,Tho onhanced price;of wool , this,season, t'ogetheri with-, the :boijritiful. harvest; of grain, grass seed, and,feed, : must have a beneficial' effect.yory/shp'rtly:. , trade is still 'vory, _qu.iet, ;.with, no, immediate itnprovem'erit. anticipatea.y.-.The'rlabbur- market, especially for'iunskilled 'labour, :> has been considerably .swelled'by a";large ■influx of harvesters' from qtner'idistricts",. many;,preferring to wait.in the. town ['until 'the; ; freathbr settles' , :to''allow.'of .'.harvesting b'pcratio'u's.;: , .Last lreek's sunshine made an , difference in- tho hum.bers about?' tb'wri, clearly indicating that many ; had left for tho-various harvesting, districts. A considerable number of "unskilled labourers wore: ; also"■ sent to•■ the '■ railway .works,- and many farm handsV-especiall.v new arrivalswere supplied to farmers, ;Tho City Council are:also .employing 'a large number of pick and shovel.men opening up the'roads for the iiew.bigh-lsreßßVire.wftter ; Bervice..■-. , ; . : '■

.>:;:.'■■-,.'•■;■■'■■■■;.■ .■■■■■pUNEDIN./..- ■':■'.■' ■■■">■; .' ; Business, and trade during the past month has not beeni satisfactory; as a matter •■' of fact, it: is not nearly so good in any rev spect ."as during the. samo.'.period, of last year. -.No particular reason can bo assigned for. this.'conditionVof affairs,..and it. is suggdsted:by. thosomost competent l ' tooffer \an opinion that the-.depression is of a transitory character. -.■';At'.the time, of.-writing''there aro .indications 'of.-«. good .'harvest, and the prices'of wool have become somewhat; en-, hanced. It. is reported-, also, that a: number of semi-public works will shortly be' put in hand.- There'is every reason, to b.elioye that as.soon as; the.returns are received for the sale of wool and farm-produce matters .will improve;. .The '-most noticeable /'depressions' exist in. the building and ironfounding trades. Amongst:' the various building trades bricklayers are riot.so busy .as last month.'-.Ow-ing ,to bad weather men lost;, a. considerable amount of time. v There. are • also : a few hands unemployed. ■■■'■•. ;;, ■ .:• ' . '' : - "'■"'■'-.

iI, What Union Secretaries Say.. T i ~, '.Wellington ''Boilermakers and Iron-ship Builders.—There has been a slackness in this trade during the-.-early part of this months which was anticipated; but an improvement has set in, and : though .some members havo been idle-for,' some days, all .have.resumed 'wprk.' : :i' V: f:'p ■'■■;:-..-;■'. ' ■_'■•. /Ayellington Carpenters.—Trade is rather, worse'..than it .was-lasti.month,- owing to the fact that large' contracts have fin-; ished and all hands nave been, discharged.' ■There is no fresh work coming 0n.., There aro. about..two-jhundred.men; reported.to. be' idle. , •i i WellinEtori-Engiheers.-f-Trade is ; in a very and; there is no demand at all .for mechanics of any .kind. ■-'. Ten, names are. on' s the.,'employment-book. •; Eight, mem-; bers of'-the. society who: arrived from England by: .the.'Mamari are/out of 'work, - and others .are. oxpected.by^the-'lonic to-morrow.. ■ ;^,, ..,'.'■■.; Furniture of'the.: district ;to r the other, the reports: re-ceiyed.;-are,ishortlyi'."Absolutely nothing doing.''U\ln the city ivh'at '.has . been/looked upon:: as;;about.-,the : -largest: factory in the furniture, line-hits' been, slmt down 'altogether. for.;''a 'fortnight,: and; 'several- of .the ..others'' arc. pnj-casual time only. > Numbers Vof , pol-, ishers...a'nd;.upholsterers. : -who. had' ; a ; fair , rim: tip, ;to Jthis. past; month: are; now I idle. ■;• The secretar,y;;of the! union statesv'alsp that during-, a-visit: to .the'country districts 'ho was .asto'nishedi to.find how: bad .things 'were; It was a'.common occurrence to .find 'men. who. had :been.; idle'; fo,r six nionths, .a.nd -who Avere still'unemployed.;.,.'. ■'■';:: •.'.;,'.;/"' j.; .'; ■i : .Wellington;..General: Labourers.—Fully; .-.a: hundred/idle men could he found at-short reductions -in of"labourers em-, ployed:;-: '■'■ The-. Government - has -also'' reduced the-hands employed',on : ;the telephone/work's. A'number of-receht arrivals,from-Great; Bri-' I tain : are.'.looking, for .work; ■ and>the' ; l.for labo'url.has been, further glutted \by. '.tradesmen: who, we . to inS work" at': their.i;u'sual..t;qcc'upations..:' -There ; is.: no:of placing: .one-tenth of fthe;'applicants,;for>work.x-:- ■'■•'■;•:-]':■■[■:',-'■ "v:'.'".'■';

|^;Sy£!- ; |S:ty£lSS Engineejitig igricuitiirai -'.Clothing;. k Eeiail'.■■' Unskilled viTrafIe?VV- Operations.;. v.Trades.;': .V.'iKades,: -'_ ■VLabouteV Busy«: ; "-.® Slack VS 'K Slack. Quiet :.U;;:; Slack q-S-- ■% i :W;':C Busy v ; --\ Slack >-r: ; -. &S;';-|:;.Chrislchttrchv:v Slack^ft"- Busy:^;:'-;: , :: Quiets ■ A ■'- Quiet' - ; Fair :; ; "'>- Quiet:- :f ;' J / V$rjr;jgusyL fair;^^; ; Quiets ; '.-' QuietHii ;p- ! Jfaiy* Quiet: :--* Fair';*'. 1 ; -Slack v-v-;.", , fr^-^iSs'™ 1 FairWiSii-v-?^t'-^i.'^X • Eair:'. ; i;-■•■■•■■'.■•'. Slack:'." ;■:■:£ FiipS-■;•'. •'■■ Busy..■•■■■'■ ■"■.'■■■' |>;>epFea%rston.!'i;; Paiirp'^f' :-'V. 'V;; ; :K;S' Bjisy Quiet ; '- ";: Quiei •'■>:.- ■ Fair.---..'V' '■; '■■■ >.: QuM; ; ft™S Fwr'i:^'K!i.BjisyV-ij^ Fair-'.-. ■'■ •'« Quiet p^'Vf;GreymqirtUv-:-.;.;Fait;--^-i;Vt}Fajr ; :-'v^'- ; --= Eair,,' : - : -'- : tJ Slack?.' ? : Fair ; : " ' :: Quiet V " : -'V'..-; terj^ifSGreytowii--;^; 'a": :! Biay..:- j:---^BusynS-:vf Quiet-.^.■ :■ Biisyj Fairs i; :/■- Fair : ;: ■!:!.> Quiet;'. ■■';■-■: ActiveX ft' Fuir>>J*-)-iV : ; J»air .' ;l - FaiK ' ; ii - '■■ ; - F,aipi'">v;' V:' Slack ■ FairV- : .*^i : Quieti/.'v.- Quiet W} Fair'J—^v:.^/ iCaS-pMastertoiiv-::;,. Qiiibt. Bu^a'^SlSir,'^ , /.-.•"■<•. Pair ;v " : ; .'• Quiets ■" '■■ 'VWOvftl Fair;;^"'-'- 1 !^-■' E?ipf|^:FjfijW&VP ■ : Quiet- :,-' -± Dull ?^ ■•;.' !■,: Qnie¥.r-;i-.;.'.-:f Busy ; ?«:-;': Quiet ; ;'--;BusyS( v !r::vV;Qulet'.'> 1 ; Fair ; "' Fair"--'" 1 .-■ ; Fair',->- Slack./ ' i ; ':: ; Bnsy;'.iv:;'t:.;.; Busy,: rvv , ?; Eairi;: V : Slack" '■ . ; :r''' Qu'iei^&S1,Slflfek^v7-•; Busy' ; 5'5?:5 Kiiir.'fP;/:'...' Faff".-' ; :r- ; Busy^"' , ;'''-:.-'.'-;'. , ''' Fair^i" , ,' , .V 1 ' Fafp.- ; -:i;;-:■>•■ Quiet : '!7' :Kiip;: v iiS<Sft '£,*<.<■:!?.:!$£;'■ :i:i\:^:.;; : rf* : - ; Sladc"-^:-'--'-'/;' Quiet » ; : i ; .'i' ; Fair-, -Fair: s 's BusyiAftje Fair : ;.: ; .Quiet 1 -:.'' "i:S " tiij;Ji:;Westportj , K;;i"- B.fl^^?S.^ij!tv/';!*'-iiVi' : -K- : ?i" - '-: f W F a jr.-/v-'^-.:;'.-' Fair.. : ,-V Slack •;:/' i J