LABOUR REVIEW.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1845, 3 September 1913, Page 4

LABOUR REVIEW.

THE DEPARTMENTAL REPORT. A NORMAL YEAR. Tlio twenty-second annual report o! tho Department of Labour was laid on the tablo of the House yesterday afternoon hy tlio Minister for Labour (tho Hon. W. P. Massoy). I Tho Secretary for Labour, Mr. Lomas, states that tlio yoair was a normal ono from on industrial point of view. Tho building trades were fairly busy tliroughout tho year, and tho position for skilled -workers generally was good.j Tho whole of tho skilled' trades wero' steady foa - practically ton months of tlio year; within tho last two months of the yoair, viz., February and March, trade ivaa not so good; and some liaJida wero discharged; owing to tho slackness, i Unskilled generally had a fairly good year. During'me winter season of 1912 thero was a goodt deal of time lost owing to unsettled weather conditions. ■ Referring to tho inquiry conducted by Mr. J. W. Collins, of tlio head office, into tho oxtont of labour shortages in manufacturing industries, Mr.. Lomaa remarks that the report relates to tho shortages of labour existing at a. definite poriod only, and as variations may occur, ho recommends that it might bo" advisablo to make a somewhat simite ; inquiry, say, at intervals of two yearß^ Help to Unemployed. During tho year ending March 31, 1913, tho Department assisted 6343 mem to private and Government works. Of the number assisted, 1639 were married, 4209 wero single men and widowers ; 3705 wore sent to private employment, and 2143 to Government works. In connection with the fares of men assisted to work by the Department, one fact, Mr. Lomas states, is deserving of special mention. Tlio sum of £2100 \vas voted last year for tho purpose of assisting men by means of advancing their fares to both Government and private employment. During the year £1921 was expended l , whilo £1842 lias been recovered representing 96 par cent, of the amount advanced. It is doubtful, in -the Secretary of Labour's opinion, whether- any other Labour Department can show such a result. Factories. Tlio report shows that tho numbor of factories registered as at March 31, 1913, totals 13,375, an increase of 428 over tho number in 1912. Thero aro 86,598 factory workers employed, being 7808 workers more than for tho year. ending March 31, 1911. (Tho total' hands for tho year 1912 was not ascertained). Tho total wages paid in New

Zealand factories was £6,713,855 for tlio year ending March 31, 1912, as against £5,981,070 for the year 2909-10. During tho interval of two years there' has been a total net increase of £732,785 in. the wages paid. All the manufacturing trades show a very steady increase in wages paid, with the excoption of the leather-working trades, light, heat, and power trades, and flaxmilling. . , . , Ninety-six cases for breaches under the Act wer« taken before the Court,, as against 108 during the previous year. Convictions wore obtained in ninetyfour cases and two were dismissed. Scaffolding Inspection. Tlio Secretary of Labour points out that as tlio provisions of this Act are becoming hotter known the tendency to erect inferior scaffolding is decreasing. Constant vigilance, however, is exercised !iy inspectors as some emvloyore contmuo to toko undue risks by erecting scaffoWuig considered to be unsafe. Tweiity-six cases were, taken under the Act before tlio Court, one of which was dismissed: During tlio year 353 stations wtiro inspected ; 268 'vero found to liavo satisfactory accommodation, and tlio remaining 85 stations required cither to provido full accommodation or to mako extensive alterations. Following upon the ' amendment to tlio Act passed last year, regulations relating to the accommodation required for flaxmill and sawmill employees were prepared and are now* being earned into operation. Women's Employmont. The women's employment brauclics of the Department assisted 2072 persona during tho year, or 143 less than tho previous year. Tho number assisted in each centre was as follows: Auckland, 591: Wellington, 649; Christchurch, 427; and Dimedin, 272. At Masterton and Nelson 133 women and ; girls were also assisted to work. Of tlio total number assisted. 438 wore married and 1634 were single or widowß. Throe. mm-, drod and eighty-ono. camo from Great Britain, 29 from tho Commonwealth, and tho remainder from within New Zealand. Tho supply of labour.afforded by oversea immigrants was slightly better than in previous years, but tlio number of servants is still very far short of tlio legitimate requirements or mistresses, /The women's-branches of the Department have, sinco their establishment in 1908,-assisted 11,(28 women and airls. .