TRADE AND LABOUR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2458, 11 May 1915, Page 3

TRADE AND LABOUR

♦ DEPARTMENT'S MONTHLY REPORT. The monthly report of the Labour , Department for the April period states that conditions of trade and labour generally are still satisfactory. Regarding unskilled labour, the report eays:— "During the period 284 persons regis- ( tered at the bureau for employment. • The month of April generally marks a period between tie summer and winter seasons, and, owing to the slackening . of operations in the dairying and, meat freezing industries there is invariably an increase in the number of applications received. The experience has not, however, been so evident this year, and all prognostications of in- , creasing numbers of unemployed as the winter approaches have so far not been realised. On the contrary, it is pleasing to report that, whilst the number of callers is less th in normally, the Department has not experienced any appreciable difficulty or delay in readily placing all labourers and tradesmen who have registered. There has been a steady demand for man from private employers, and calls for carpenters, painters, engineers, bushmen, and coalminers for places outside of Wellington still remain unfilled. The prospects for the coming month are very satisfactory, and, if the same optimism is shown by private employers and the community generally during the next four months as has been shown from January to April (inclusive), there should be less . unemployment this winter than during a normal year. At the same time, it I as well to warn those country workers ■ who may he tempted to migrate to the city that the quantity of work offering 1 is not sufficient to warrant their coming without first communicating with the Department. The number of persons assisted was 161, 37 married and 114 - single, with 125 dependents. Of this . total 34 were sent to Government works . »nd 117 to private employment. The . workers came from the following places: ' North Island, 45; South Island, 26; ' Commonwealth, 11; Great Britain, 58; ' other places, 11. In addition, three t wives and one child were assisted to join their relatives. Owing to the season drawing to a close, the applications - for milkers have fallen off consider--1 ably." s Mr. C. W. Chilman, manager of the . Te Aro branch of the Bunk of New Zea- - land, ha 6 beer; granted twelve months' } leave of absence on full pay, and will 1 retire on a pension. He will be succeed- • ed by Mr. Dudley Tripo, manager of - the Newtown branch. It is now twentyfive years since Mr. Chilman assumed t charge of the To Aro branch. Its staff then numbered three or four officers; to-day 'there aro over twelvo, and the business has. grown with the. neighbourhood in volume and importance. Cour ; tenny Place was then a semi-residential locality, but to-day it is considered to have a potential land value approximating that of Lambton Quay.