POPULATION AND INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1411, 11 April 1912, Page 4

POPULATION AND INDUSTRY.

SOME INTERESTING FIGUBES.

Addressing tho Trades Councils' Con« ference yesterday, the Hon. G. Laurenson (Minister for Labour) laid before the delegates some estimated statistics prepared by Mr. ,1. Lonws (Secretarv for Labour). It was estimated, the ' Minister stated, that in 11)11 there were 44,180 em. plovers of workers in the Dominion. The number of persons an business but not employing workers was set down as 52,0G4. The estimated number of persons working for wages was 237,225. 80. Lath-os assisting employers and people in business on their own account numbered 22.945. This made a total number of people engaged in producing in this country of 358,717. Mr. Laurenson said that he had not been able to get statistics of unemplovment for a later year than 190 G. In that year unemployed numbered 82S1, or about 3! per cent, of the producing population. Mr. Lomas was confident that the figuves for the current year would show a great' improvement on those for IGHG. It was estimated, the Minister said, that persons engaged in Mrimng audv mining pursuits numbered at present 123,-.. 900. People engaged upon the rai'wnvs, in the Postal Department, and generally in providing means of communication numbered 31,000. In shops and .varehouses it. was estimated that 47,000 persons were employed, while 135,000 workers were engaged in manufacturing.