TRADE AND LABOUR.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1678, 19 February 1913, Page 4

TRADE AND LABOUR.

.' CONDITIONS IN PEBRUART. The "Labour Journal" reports on trade ana .'labour in Wellington during January as follows:— .There has been a falling-off in trade since last month, and with retailers this is not unusual in January. Many nouses, however, report very good business. Car- : peutry is fairly good, but several men are temporarily idle waiting for, other work to commence. Plumbing, however, Is still brisk, and no men are reported out' of Work. Pniuting is quiet,' whilst the dispute between.the slaughtermen and the freezing companies has' brought operations to 'a standstill." Hundreds of men ■aro idle who, under ordinary circumstances, would bo earning l good wages. Building trades: Bricklaying very fair; no unemployed tradesmen reported. Carpentry and joinery fairly good. Tainting very quiet.', Plastering fair, but. one or . two'men are idle. Plumbing, and gasfittfng is Still brisk, and no tradesmen aro. unemployed. • Stonemasonry—Very, little lvork.is done at present in connec'tioh with, building operations.-; '-,'. Woodworking trades: Cabiriotmnking and upholstering good. Coopering fair. Sash and door factories—Trade.very good. Sawmilling good. , Engineering trades: Boilermaking and .- brass and copper-smithing quiet. . Electrical engineering fair. Rangemnking, fitting and turning, and iron and. brass mduldin» quiet. ' / Leather trades: Bootmaking (factories) fairly busy. Saddlery and harnessmaking fair. ' _ . / • ... .

Clothing trades: Dressmaking and milinery good; a fair amount of overtime cas'i.ivorkod, during: the month. Sliirtnatfing good. Tailoring (factories)—Workng. at full, pressure without overtime; irospects .are very good. Tailoring (orl«r) good; some tailors report an ex;remely good month. . ' Retail trades: Clothing very fair. Boots 'airly. good. Drapery—Pair business, hut 'his .month is usually quiet. , Groceries fair, hut as good as other, years; tl'.smonth is usually regarded as quiet.. Printing trades: Printing quiet. Meat-freezing, etc.: Tanning, currying, fellmongorinff, slaughtering, fretting, and preserving have been very busy, but a targe number of men are idle now on account .of the works heing closeJ down through dispute between workers and employers. - ■ ■ ' . ~Coachhuilding, Blacksmithing quiet. Coaclvcarriage,''and tram-car building fairly good.. ' ■ > ; Unskilled labour: During-'.tin month employment has been fairly good both in the city and country districts. .There is still a demand for dairy and agricultural .farm., worker's, and. scurohcr.s(,paadockers; and general flax-mill "bands. Men used to fencing, and firewood-cutting have also been inquired for 1 at good wages, whilst pick;and-shovel tacn . have been fairly well employed on account ,of , the ifine .weather conditions prevailing. A considerable number of men left the city ilurin? the month to seek harvesting work in Canterbury and Otago. Mostly all the now arrivals from overseas who called at the' Department for p-ork' were placed. A total of ISO men were assisted, 52 bein<r married and 78 single, with 133 dependants.' Nincty-thrcfi Here sent ti? private employers and 37 to Government works,, their respective occupations being'.those of bricklayers, carpenters, engineers) minors, 'and labourers.