TRADE AND LABOUR

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1155, 16 June 1911, Page 3

TRADE AND LABOUR

OFFICIAL REPORTS FOR MAY. The following official reports on the state of trade and labour in May are culled from the Labour Journal:— WELLINGTON. Reports for the last month are generally brighter in tone than those leceived for the previous month. Retailers state that business has been very favourable, especially in the clothing, boot, and provision trades. The opening of the Exhibition has in a measure tended to this improvement. The building trades h'ave hael a good month, though in the carpentering there are now signs of slackening off. Plumbers and gasiittors arc particularly brisk. The iron trades show a slight improvement. Clothing, shirt, and boot manufacturers are still complaining r.f shortage of workers, and in the printing trade the improvement previously reported has been well maintained.

Building Trades.—Bricklaying: A sudden change for the better occurred. Trade is now very brisk, and there is demand for good men. Carpentry and joinery: Owiug to extensive alterations necessary to the Exhibition buildings carpenters for the early part of the month were working niglit and day, but since the completion of ths work there are a few men out of employment. Painting continues good; all hands fully employed, principally in renovating work. Plastering shows a great improvement on previous month, but trade is not very gcod. Plumbing and gasfitting: Trade has been excellent during the month, and considerable overtime has bean made in tho manufacturing nortion of the trade. Inquiries are made for pood tradesmen. Stons-majons arc reported to be fully employed.

Woodworking Trades.—Uoxmaking has been extra busy, and boys arc wanted for the trade. C'abinetmriking and upholstering: Trade generally is reported to be fairly good. .Coopering, considering the ssason of the year, is very good. Sash and door factories: The improvement reported last month has continued. Sawmilling: Reports are fairly favourable, trade having brightened during the month. Wood-liiniing: Steady trade has maintained.

Engineering Trades: Boiiermaking has continued busy. Crass and copper-smith-ing—Trade is still fair, and overtime has beou worked occasionally. Electrical engineering—Reports are still bright: 'country orders have been fairly plentiful; good tradesmen can bo' placed. Fitting and turning—A moderate amount of repairwork has fended to improve trade, which, however, is s'.iil below normal. Iron and brass moulding—All permanent hands have full employment, trade having shown a slight improvement. Rnnge-making—As is usiml in winter months, trade shows an advanre, but there is still room for considerable improvement.

Leather Trades: Boot factories arc still very busy, and in some instances orders have been refused. Good hands are urgently required. Repair shops report excellent business. Saddlery and harnessmaking—Reports continue satisfactory, and all hands have been fully employed.". Clothing trades: Dressmaking and millinery give brighter reports than.for last month, but. trade is not yet good., Shirtmakins and clothing factories are lvo'rjtiii.f at high pressure, the demand for extra workors being still unsatisfied. Order tailoring is still busy, consistent trade being general. AVoollen-milling. owing to winter orders noaring completion, shows a slight falling-off.

Retail Trades: Shopkeepers in the clothing, drapery, and boot trades report gcod business, and state trade is very much better than that of the 'corresponding period of last year. Grocers and provision dealers report an improvement on last month's trade.

. Printing Trades: Reports are favourable from all branches of the trade. Overtime has been worked, and there are no immediate signs of any fallius-off.

Meat-freezing, etc.: Steady trade has obtained in the tanning, currying, and fellmongeriiig branches. In slaughtering and freezing works trade has naturally slacken cd with the' close of the season; but considerable business has been maintained in the preserving department.

Coichbuilding Trades: A fair amount of repair-work has offered, which has kept trade, well up to the average.

Cycle and motor trades: A very fair month is report-ail, anil good conditions are anticipated, as repair-work is offering very well.

-Unskilled labour: There lias broil a considerable improvement in this branch since lost report, especially (hiring (he latter part ot the period j List ended. .Applications for employment wore fewer in number than last month and work more plentiful in the country district?, though the supply in the city is more than equal to the demand at present time. Requests for good labourers for road and railway works, and also for bushfeilers, still continue, and the Department could at present place about 50 able-bodied men on this work. Everything points to a record winter season for all classes of workmen, providing that there is no great influx from outside districts. During the month 142 men have been sent, to employment, 35 being married and 107 single, with 123 dependants; S3 were sent to private employment and 59 to public works. MASTERTOX. During the period under review reports show that trade and business has been quiet generally. The new freezing works, where a large number of men were employed, is now about to close down for the winter season, and consequently a number of hands arc idle, liutter and cheese factories have also slackened oft', and a number of hands are being dispensed with. The building trades are just keeping steadily going; most tradesmen are employed fairly regularly, _ and there is not much demand for additional tradesmen. The textile trades report fair business, but not any demand for additional hands. WANGANUI. Trade during the month has been well maintained, and business people generally are well satisfied with tho amount of business done, which compares favourably with the corresponding period of last year. Tradesmen also have been fully ompioyed, carpenters, painters, and plumbers especially so, and good carpenters havo been frequently applied for. FALMEItSTON NORTH. Trade generally has been very satisfactory during the past month, and business people speak hopefully of the <;, l .ire prosnects. Labour has been fairly plentiful, and outside workers havo had a good month, as the weather has been specially suitable. j