THE LABOUR MARKET.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2007, 14 March 1914, Page 3

THE LABOUR MARKET.

STATE OF TRADES. The Labour Journal for March contains particulars of the stato of employment iii various- industries in Wellington for February. During the month trado and labour conditions liai'o been normal .generally. The building trades may be summed up as quiet, a fallingeff having been experienced since last ir;cnth in some branches In tho retail trades good avai'Hgo busk ess is reported in. the clothing, boots, and grocery "lines. .Bet-.veen-scasons. sales have been in vogue in many shops, and general appearances indicate a fairly healthy tone pi. trade. Building Trades. —Bricklaying: Trade has been very fair, but one or two journeymen are reported to have been unemployed during the period. Carpentry and joinery: Up to the last'week of the month trade was fairly brisk, and the majority of men .were- making full time. Latterly,, however, a slackness has been experienced, and there are at the present timo from twenty to thirty union men idle. Compared with , the same- period of 'ast year trade has been below the average Painting, quiet for tho-month of February, when trado is usually expected to be good; some employers, however, report that they have had.a fair ammnfc of-work in hand. The I'nion secretary state? that twelve of the members of his body are idle. Plastering, very quiet;.there are several men idle, and .thero is little or no work of-., fering afpresent; prospects arc not bright.. Plumbing .and have been rather slow, and not so brisk as during the samo month■ o* last year. Engineering trades, including boilernjaking, iron and brass moulding, and rangemaking, are reported to have been a little better than during the urevious month; in some foundries, trado• was fairly good, but there has been no special advancement to note; at present trade ' has a tendency towards slackness. Brass and coppersmithing dull; worse than during January, and all the hands have not been fullv employed. Electrical engineering: Trade has not been very brisk this month; in some shops there has been a fair amount of work offering, but, on , the whblo, trado may be considered fairly quiet.' . . . ' • Woodworking Trades.—Cabinetmaking and upholstering: Trade in the former branch is said to have been good, and ■an improvement since last, month has been experienced; upholstering, hoWever, has been on the quiet side, and .somo.of the hands.have not made full time. In the retail branches only a medium business lias been done generally, but one or two employers report ! sales as fairly brisk during the month. Sash and door factories, sawmilling, and wood-turning, etc.: These branches' are reported to be normal, with a slight tendency towards (slackness; nearly all hands have had full time'during the month.. . ■ Leather' Trades. —Bootmaking- (factories aud repair-shops): Trado has been well up to tho average, with orders coming in feteadily; one factory reports a shortage of-.labour, and conse- . quently some overtime has been necessary. Saddlery and .harnessmaking:Trade has been inclined to be quiet, although- somo firms have 'i ad a fair average amount of work in hand; the majority of regular'hands have made full timo. ■■.''■

Clothing Trades.-rDressmakiug and 'millinery havg been good,-and in soine workrooms a fair amount of overtime has been ' done. Shirtmakiug fairly busy. Tailoring (factories): Trade has -been fairly brisk, and a little better than during /tho previD r ttFMgnth , ;' i soin'j;, l extra tinfe'hrfs-ueen'VorEed/ 'Tailoring (order): In sbmo' shops trado lias not improved, as was' anticipated, but, generally speaking, very fair, trade for this period has beeii,done.'.Business'.is, ox■pected to increase'towards tho middle' of 'n'oxt month, and thence onward to Easter should be.' rather.' brisk. There , are- five, union men idle at present. Woollen-milling normal; the usual amount of trade has been done, but there has been no/overtime worked.

Retail .Trades!— Clothing, boots, drapery, and groceries: uood trade generally has been done, and mostly all shopkeepers report. themselves as well satisfied with the. turnover for the month, which'compares favourably with that of the last few periods and is quite up to the standard of previous years.. During the month botweenseasons sales have been in progress.. Printing Trades.—Bookbinding and printing have been about the same as last month—fairly good,generallyj biit in. one or two of the smaller factories trade has been a little quiet; all hands arereported-to have been , employed full time. ■-. •; ■ ■•-. " •• .

■ BleaWreezing.—Slaughtering and preserving factories havo continued to go on in full swing, and all hands have been very busy. ■ [ Coachbuilding Trades.—Blacksmithing, and coach, carriage, and tramcar building: These trades are. reported to havo improved considerably, aud few men havo, been idle; ' ■>' Cycle and Motor Trades have been rather busy in some shops; .generally the average amount of business has been done. ■■•-.'