LABOUR MARKET.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 504, 11 May 1909, Page 7

LABOUR MARKET.

REPORTS FOR APRIL. ■ V A FAINT IMPROVEMENT.' // Tho reports on labour conditions throughout the Dominion during April last, published in tho Labour-Department's Journal/ issued yesterday, are, if anything, slightly /, more cheerful ■■ than /those for / earlier months, though there is still room for a great deal of improvement.Tho foUowing/table gives a comprehensive .view of the position:—

Tho following are. extracts from tho de-1 tailed, reports:— . ■ Wellington. During tho month trado' generally has been -fairly/; good,'.- and iin many 'instates. a decided improvement lias bsep. stoyn.- BuiWing - trades.,have deoidedly improyed, and there' is .©very ■ ■ indioatioii. of a still further improvement.. 'Pa-intirig trades have also, impraved.- Clothing trades generally, have been good. On the .' other /hand, furiuturo trades are! exceedingly slack,- little/or jio improvement : being sliown. Engineering and iron trades are still quiet. . ... '. '- v . '/;'.. '■ Building tracles: VBricklaying. fairly busy, and an "improvement on; tho previous, nionth has heen-shown/ Carpentry/and joinery improving as. the various' contracts now- under way proceed, work':for/carpenters and/joiners will greatly/ increase. . Builders' labojircrs at / present, are f airly - well only a few men being out of v,-ork. Painting' good,'although-there are a few, men out,.of pork jVthe ■ employment .in this trade is, of course,. of: an intermittent .nature. . .Plastering fairly. good, and .'hands .sbot/-to, bo,.fully, employed!--.,.Plumbing-. and gasfitting . fairly 'good ;' hands fully employed, and employers, 'express/.themselves; as. quite satisfied .with the amount of., trade being done.' ;. Stone-' masonry good; all 'hands fully employed. : / . Woodworking trades: Boxmaking fairly -good;.factories: working full .time. : Cabinet-, makiiig ■'aM.'upholstering' slack, : with little chanco of an ■ immediate.- improvement; sev-, effl" men/but /of work. Coopering fairly busy, /with little,: change, from the_ previous' month. Sash and 'door factories still .'rather : on/the slack ! 'side,. although in an improvement has .'be& ; experienced. Sawinilling' still slack;/' with,, little', chance of an/ improvement. Wood-turning, etc.':' Fair .amount of trado being done. : -". ■ /, '■'/ -..' /

/trades.: Boilermaking_rather slack, /: with little /indication of. an /improve-: inent '; /several'men'; are/out' of . work.- <Brass ' and! copper-'smithing' rather althougha ..'slight : .improvement' being 'shown ;-<-further' improvement -is" expected. 'Electrical /engineering only , fair, a few men being -still, <)ut' of ">ork.Fitting . andi/turning '/slack, little or/ nothing being donej and there-are several j men ■ out ol employment. '■ Iron', and brass moulding fairly/good, .a: slight/improve-; ment on the pievious'month 1 . . Bangemaking 'very -quiet,.'/with/little prospect, of an .improvement. .-/.%\. ../■ -y : ..'

: : /'-Leather ; 4;r'ades:. Bootmaking; .(factories) good; factories 1 working full: time, and , all' "hands fully employed. ;'Bootmaking; (repair shops) fairly good; plenty of orders comingin, and all hands fully employed. Saddlery and hamessmaking fairly busy, and; employers state that they have no reason to complain. .. '< : / -■ . ■ Clothing trades: Dressmaking and millinery busy in, tho largo factories, but. small, ;workrooms; are rather .quiet; in" some. stances'-; a'difficulty. is'.; being experienced in 'Bettinglhands. Shirtmakingi busy, - although not'so .good as; might be expected: ;an improvement ;i's lfioked forward to'.; Tailoring ('factories); fairly.' busy; some, factories are very busy,':-but others' are; rather-on' the slackside;,; 1 Tailoring (order) good; a great improvement on last month. Woollen-mill-ing; fairly, busy; ..factories working ...full time..' ■■■■-.• <.- .■■■:■■ >~■■ . Rotail trades: Clothing fairly good; an improvement! on-the; previous month; has been shown.' ' Boots good. Drapery'; fairly good ; . little or no change' from 1 last . month. Groceries—Trade remains about tho same,. a good all-round business being done. ■ Printing trades: ; Bookbinding fairly good; some factories are busy, but others; report a j Printing 'rather slack; % num-, ber of hands aro now, put of "employment. • Meat-freezing,' etc.: Tanning, currying, andl fellmongeringj slaughtering, freezing; and preserving—exceptionally good,; considering/the season of-; the year; much .better ; than has ' been, experienced for the corresponding month of previous years.; " ■ Coachbuilding .trades: Blacksmithing fairly, good,' -.with aplenty of work, conimg.in;' employers express thcmsfelves as . being : quite satisfied. Coach, carriage, and tramcar building only fair,' although employers are not 'complaining';, this is .usually a slack time of the year. ~ . , ■ ' - Cyclo and .motor trades slack, with very little work coming in..'.Factories are depending mainly on repair-worki ' ' ' Unskilled labour: There has been a slight improvement in ' the local labour market. Generally, during, the past .month, the numbcr of callers is less, if anything, than has been the' caso for .the"past' few months. A number'.of busKfelling contracts have been let, to start shortly, and men willing and able to' do'this class of work should not find it. difficult td .obtain employment groviding they make for the outlying country. districts. . There 'is a considerable number ,of single ; men calling who,' if offered country work,- simplyj decline to take -it, preferring to'stop in the ,city and compete/in ,the local labour-market igainst married men. There has been a. good demand for. ploughmen, but skilled men aire.hard to obtain.;. Several immigrants,.; howevor, were assisted to ; this work. During the period just ended, employment has been found for 184 married and single men, 112 heing sent to private employment and 72 to public works. ' . Auckland. ' There is still a general slackness: in all branchos, and a number of tradesmen and labourers are out of work. Christchuroh. ; . Trado ; generally shows a slight improvement,'and a better tone prevails. The harvost has been a particularly good one, and -prices, except for oats, arc well maintained. There has been a fall in tho prico of sheep. Tho local freezing-works are in full swing, and, stock is coming to hand freely. There is very little improvement in tho building trade, but tho numbers of unemployed in this lino are loss, on account of men leaving for other districts.- The.applicants for unskilled, labour have been fairly-numerous on account.of a number of men being discharged from several'of the local Government works, and in consequence of tho orders for the various railway works being filled. An order for fifty ; men for the Midland Railway works camo just "at the right time, and has considerably relieved tho pressure., It is pleasing to report an improvement in the boot trade,'and, 'although a large number of hands have been.- working , short time, .it -is anticipated that tho factories will. be.in full,swing ve« BhortJy. Orders, are oomina to hand.

THE POSITION SUMMARISED,

'and very little stock has been made up'/oc- ; cupiors prof erring 'to make up stock as ordered during the .financial depression. Duncdln. From tho Easter holidays to the end of the month tlioro. has been a marked falling-o(f in tho .volume' of trade. However, present conditions are not below the standard of the. corresponding period of last y<wr. Colder weather is now setting in, and shopkeepers anticipate jmproved businoss on account of tho necessary change in wearing-apparel. This, has'also tended to improve conditions in tho tailoring,, bootmaking, dressmaking, and

clothing trades. Tho metal trades, outside of agricultural-implement and range-making, are yery quiet indeed, and this is particularlyuni'ortunato, as the sudden depression-was not expected.; Although colder, the weather during the month has been fine, and outdoor work iiiis been generally available. No complaints, of lack of employment have'reached the Department from,the country districts. Othar Places. Now Plymouth.—No alteration .in trade. .Carpentering and'building very, slack, . Wsyiganui.—A general improvement is re-; ported. Tent and cover-making' and printing trades. in all branches are brisk,. Building trades' slack. , ,- ' - ''i ' < Taihape.-r-The starting',of. loan works is. expected to improve conditions. Building trades are , fair. • The state of'tho saw-, milling industry is very v discouraging. Many mills are - closed, and 'others are' working only half time. . ■ I 1 eilding.—Most trades ■ • quiet. . Agricultural operations busy. *'• Palmerston- North.—Business' has " been quieter than usual, and the outlook is . not ■too encourtguig even now. •• Several ships" have been' burnt down, so- that there is a prospect of about half a dozen, and one hotels being- rebuilt; 'This should give work td, many unemployed.' i • ' ' S: ; . Ot.'iki.—lk-tail business: fair, other trades slacks : ' ; Napier.—-General.-■■■ slight' 'noted; . Several contracts are reported to be looming |ahead, -and,plenty of employment promises. l - Tenui.—Building trades fair,' retail trades slack, blacksmithing slack, unskilled labour fair. -■ '• ' 'Masterton. No appreciable sign of .an improvement. - There is very little building going on, so that a' number of tradesmen are oompelled to. find work outside' their proper trades. Coachtmilding ' and blacksmith' : ing fair, clothing-trades fair, furniture-malt- ; j.ing very.slack,.engineering and other trades, fair. Labourers are difficult to place. !', Greytown—Building trades quiet, --bootmaking,; clothing, retail,, printing, -and "cycle and : motor - trades fairly busy, agricultural operations satisfactory. I, Featherston.—Au'good month is/.reported,'; and no local; unskilled" labour/has been un/ employed. --~-.

Agricultural Building Engineering Meat-froez- Retail Unskilled ; ' Looality. : . Oporations. : --Trades. iug Trades. Trades. Labour. Auckland Quiet Slack . Quiet Active Fair Slack . Wellington .. Fair • - \ Quiet Slack' . Busy Fair Quiet : Chrisichurch' Active. Slack ■ . Slack • . Busy ...Fair, Quiet • . ■ Dunedin ' Mi - Quiet ] Slack Active •. Quiet . Fair Ashburton ■' Busy'., . , Dull Quiot , v. Busy Fair Quiet . Elthara . ... Quiet ' Fair > •■...■ ... . Activo .Quiet. Featherston '.v. Active Fair Activo Fair . F"ildinn 1: :.. Fair Slack ' • _ : . Fair. ; Quiet . Fair. Gisbcrno ' ' ''FairSlack- • Fair . Busy Fair Quiet Groytown ...Quiet Quiet ' ... ■ Fajr . Quiot ' . Greyinouth'... Activo Fair Activo Busy Fan . Quiet v .Hastings _ \ J.,.'-. Qmefc" ;. ■!:l ■'' : : f™? '.. ' ..' '' ■ Quiet'; ' . 1 -Mastertou. ... Qmet v Slack Fair , Active. .. Fair -. Quiet ; Napior' ' •' Busy--.Quiet Quiot . Busy, Quiet Nelson "! Quiet . . Fair : Quiet . Busy > Fair ; Fair Now Plymouth Quiet Slack Quiet Busy Activo Quiot Oamaru ... Fair ; J:- >; Fair ; Dull ; Busy Fair .- - Fair Otaki Activo Fair . '.'••••'■ Fair . ■..Quiet . ' Palmerston N; Quiet . Fair : , Yi Quiet.: ' . Quiet ■ Fair ' Slack Taihape C' V Quiet V Fair , tair ... '" Fair . ;. Qmot . Tenui . . ... • Fair ... Slack Quiet ' Timaru " Busv X - Q.uiot.. . Fair Busy • Active'' Fair'-. Wanfianui !.! Quiet ;. Slack Quiet: : Fair •; ' Qwet . Quiet AYestport, ' ... ' Fair • . .'**• Quiet , iair