LABOUR MARKET.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1700, 17 March 1913, Page 3

LABOUR MARKET.

KEPORT FOB THE MONTH. The "Journal of the Department of Labour," issued on Saturday evening, contains the following information about the state of the laboui; market in Wellington and surrounding districts':— Wellington. - Building trades Bricklaying very.fair; no unemployed tradesmen reported. Carpen try and joinery fairly good. Painting, rmiet, but lias improved since last month. Plastering fair, but one or two tradesmen idle. Plumbing and gasfitting are sfall and no tradesmen are unemployed. Stonemasonry: Very little work is being done at present. " . Woodworking tracks:- Cabmctmakmg arid upholstering good; no unemployed. Coopering fairly busy, fash and door •factories: Trade very good. Sawnnlling trades: Boilermaking and •lirass and copper-smithing quiet. trical engineering fair. Fitting and turning, iron and brass moulding, and range- 1 malting quiet. •' r : , • Leather trades: Boptmaking (factories arid repair shops) fairly busy. Saddlery ami harnessmaking fair. _ Clothing-trades: Dressmaking and millinery good; a fair amount of overtime was worked during the month. Shirtmaking good. Tailoring (factories): Working i' at full pressure without overtime; prospccts very good. Tailoring (order) fair, and in some cases an extremely good month has been experienced. _ icetail trades: Clothing very fair. Boots fairly good., Drapery fair; between-sea-son sales have been held and good results are reported. ■■ Printing trades: Printing quiet. Meat-freezing, etc.: Tanning, currying, and fellmongerihg, slaughtering, freezing, and preserving: A decided improvement has taken place in these trades, and most factories ore working up to nearly/their full capacity. ■ , Coachbuilding trades: Blacksmitmng quiet. Coach, carriage, 'and tram-car building fairly good. i Cycle, and motor trades: Very good business has been done. Unskilled labour: During the month there has been an increase in the number of men applying for work, but not to any. appreciable extent. The main cause of the increase is the fact of men return-, ing to the city from the country districts.'where certain operations are; completed, and also the slaughtermen's strike. Flax-mill workers have been in request, and there has ajso been a "demand for ploughmen, but the demand for dairyfarm hands has fallen off considerably, as the season is now drawing to a close.' During the month employment was found for' 46 married and 91 single men, with a total of Ili dependants. Of those assisted. 136 proceeded to private employment and 1 to Government works. Their respective occupations were those of carpenters, engineers, farin labourers, miners, plasterers, and general labourers, of whom 66 hailed from the North Island,; 11 from the South Island, 7 from Australia, 52 from Great Britain, and 1 from other parts. Other Centres. New Plymouth.—Trade and labour conditions still continue satisfactory. Wanganui.—Trade generally throughout the month has been of « very high standard, ,particularly has this been so with the retail dealers; Palmerston North.—Business generally has been satisfactory. Building trades have been specially busy, and carpcnters are wanted. Masterton.—During the past montli general trade and labour conditions have been'rather quieter |:tian during the previous period. This is accounted for by the fact that a number of industrial operations which have been very busy aro now completed for the season,, which has thus thrown a considerable number of casual workers out of employment. Gisborne.—The activity in all branches of industry still continues.. In the building trade, however, thero are indications of a in the bricklaying branch, as a number of buildings in progress of erection are Hearing completiqn. The strike of slaughtermen has to some extent checked operations in the meatfreezing industry, but most boards are working full-handed, and, although the tally is not so high;as before, a fair output is maintained and the freezing works aro kept going full handed. . Napier.—During the period under review trade and labour conditions ' have been on an average for this time of the year, and reports received from the various tradespeople aro encouraging. The hot, dry weather experienced has enabled the outside workers to get: full time during the month.

Nelson.—Tlio past month has been a most trying 1 ono throughout tho district, and tho long spell of dry weather with strong winds and bush fires has caused flax millers and sawmillers to have a very anxious time. A considerable amount fit damage was done, chiefly in the Uai Valley and Jloutere districts.