THE LABOUR MARKET.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1073, 11 March 1911, Page 10

THE LABOUR MARKET.

STATE OF TRADE. The condition of labour and trade throughout the Dominion is indicated by the February reports in the current number of the Labour Department's Journal.' Some of the reports are as follow:—

WELLINGTON. There is but slight change in trade and labour conditions from those . of last month. Retailers generally state that their business is better than at this time last year. . Many employers in the clothjng trades are still complaining of shortage of female labour. One shirt and underclothing . factory alone has vacancies for twenty women. The bespoke tailoring trade is brisk, and good hands arc in demand. The ready-made clothing factories aro busy making up winter suits and overcoats. Tho woollen mills are still in need of moro hands. Ca.'dboard-box making hands are required, and tho printing trade is busier than usual. Meat freezing and its allied industries—fellmongoring, tanning, ctc. —arc all in full swing, and the rccent much-required rains will bring, stock along more rapidly. There aro a few building tradesmen temporarily idle in the city, but men are being asked for in tho country. Painters are particularly busy; whilst plumbing and gasfitting just employs all available hands. The city building superintendent reports that for the four-weekly period ending February 21 fifty-seven building permits were issued, involving an amount of £18,083. Most of these aro for suburban residences and small repair and renovating jobs. Building Trades.—Bricklaying fairlj good; work in this trade has brightened np considerably during the month. Carpentry and joinery: Not much chango sineo "last report. A few men aro idle, but thero is a good demand for men for the country. Painting busy—a few jobs aro standing for tho want of men. Plastering slack, although no men aro reported idle; a good many of the tradesmen have left for busier towns. Plumbing and gasfitting fair: not so busy as at the beginning of the year, although all hands aro kept employed. Stonemasoury: All hands employed. Wood-working Trades. — Boxmaking busy. Cabinetmaking and upholstering busy; thero is a demand for a few good tradesmen. Coopering brisk; all hands employed. Sash and door factories fairly busy; all hands employed. Sawmilling: Trade in the timber lino is improving, and is busier than last month. Woodturning, etc., good. Engineering Trades. •*- Boilermaking only fair; few men idle. Brass and copper-smithing fairly good. Electrical engineering busy; all hands fully; employed. Fitting and turning fair; no men unemployed. Iron and brass moulding good; few men idle. Rangemaking fairly good; all hands employed. ■

Leather Trades.—Bootmakiug (factories) brisk; there as a demand for hands. ; Bootmaking (repair-shops): Trade is good. ' Saddlery and harnessmaking busy; all hands fully employed; Clothing Trades.—Dressmaking .and millinery fairlv good; somo firm's aro working overtime; Shirtmaking still brisk; one firm can tako on twenty moro hands. Tailoring (factories) fairly good. Tailoring (order) still brisk; a demand exists for competent hands. Woollen-milling very busy; employment can bo found for several more workers.

Rotail Trades.—Clothing; boots, drapery, and groceries: A- slight".'improvement on last month , "'ha§'been' ; sh"own.

Printing Trades.—Bookbinding and printing: \ 7 ery fair business is reported as liaving been done during the month. Meat-freezing, Etc.—Tanning, currying; and fellmongering brisk; all hands employed. Slaughtering, freezing, and preserving trades arc very brisk, and in full swing.

Coachbuilding Trades. — Blacksmithing has improved a little. Coach, carriage, and tramcar building fairly good. Cycle and motor trades: Fair business is being done. Unskilled labour: Work 1 has been fairiy plentiful both in the/ city and country'districts. Thero .has been a good demand for firewood-cutters, scrubcutters, and rabbit-poisoners. Most of the work offered in the city has been casual, lasting only for a few weeks at most. The number of applications fot farm hands generally has greatly fallen off, and it is evident that the season is now drawing to a close. The Department can, however, placo a few capable men on farms. The applications for employment have slightly increased, owing to the return of a number of men from tho South Island, where harvesting and grass-seeding work aro finished. Most 9f the applicants ' aresingle men without any dependants, and they have invariably beon advised to shift out of town to districts where work is offering; 221 men, with 150 dependants, wore sent to work or otherwise assisted theroto, 47 being sent to Government works and 177 to private employment. Of this number,.. 50 men were married and 174. wero . - single. Those assisted comprised cabinetmakers, carpenters, farm hands, labourers, and plasterers.

WANGANUI. Trade during the month just ended has been a little quieter than tho previous month, although business in practically all branches may be described as very good. There aro few tradesmen idle. PALMERSTON NORTH. Trado in general has been satisfactory during tho past mouth, and prospects for tho futuro aro fair. The drv weather experienced has somewhat affected tho dairying and flax industries. A very welcomo rain during the last week has steadied the milk supply, and consequently the decline which always takes placo at this time of tho year will not be moro marked than usual.. ' . MASTERTON.

During tlio period just ended the conditions of trade and labour have maintained a fair level. The annual Agricultural' and: Pastoral Show and Ram Fair lickl during the month considerably assisted, directly and indirectly, towards the improvement of business throughout. Station workers are now fairly busy in connection with dipping operations; rabbit-poisoning has received a set-back owing to the heavy rain experienced lately. Building trades aro now rather quiet, duo to tho fact that several fair-sized jobs have just been completed, and a number of tradesmen are unemployed. Tenders have been accepted for a new courthouse and some other huildings. so it is to bo hoped that there will be ample work for carpenters and other tradesmen very soon. There is a demand for a good coachsmith and coaclipainter. AUCKLAND. It is pleasing to state that the conditions of trado and labour are still very satisfactory. NAI'IER. It is pleasing to state that tho conditions of trado and labour aro still very satisfactory. CHRISTCHURCH. This month usually shows a general slackening-off in trade, especially after tho sales season, and this year is no exception. In the order tailoring a number of workers are working snort time. Dressmaking and millinery work has slightly improved since last report, but there is plenty of room for further improvement. Very littje work is doing at the general engineering trade. Boot and shoo manufacturing is still on the quiet side, and a number of

hands are still unemployed or working short time. Several branches of the building trade are slackening downviz., in the carpentering, plumbing, and plastering branches—and a few men usually employed at those trades are idle or have left for other districts. No lallinp-off lias taken place in the stock tailoring, hat and cap, or costume-mak-ing, confectionery, biscuit-making, and brushmaliing departments, and thero is a good demand for female workers in these branches of trade. The dry weather during the early part of tho summer tended to keep back fattening operations, and stock generally has not come to hand so early as usual. However, stock is now arriving at the different freezing-works in largo numbers, and a fairly good season is anticipated 'in tho various branches of the freezing industry. During the month work has been plentiful for good pick-and-shovel men, and tunnel-men aro still required.

DUNEDIN. ; Conditions of trade have been fairly solid during February, which is usually considered a slack month. Reports show that a better business has been done than during corresponding months of previous years. Tho building trades still continue fairly busy, with good prospccts. The same remarks apply to the iron trades. Dressmaking and millinery have been busier than usual. The furniture trades continue busy, and aro a littlo better than usual, several firms wanting hands during the month. Tho boot trade has been normal.