PLENTY OF WORK

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2685, 3 February 1916, Page 9

PLENTY OF WORK

UNEMPLOYMENT AT MINIMUM

OFFICIAL REPORT

Aosterday the State Labour Department issued the following report oil labour in AVellington during January:—

Unemployment is reduced almost to a. minimum, and instead of the usual shortage of work which exists in somo trades after the Christmas rush, the difficulty appears to be to obtain sufficient worker.; to copo with the work offering. The building trades still remain active, and conditious arc such that building contractors have sufficient work on hand, and are not inclined to tender for fresh jobs. The engineering trades are very busy, some of the firms are unable to copo with the rush of work coming in from the country and from the various freezing works. One linn states that from twenty to thirty more fitters could be employed by tliem at t.he present time if such were available. The textile trades are particularly busy, and while less overtime has been worked this mouth than during the previous mouth, all factories are working at high pressure. .Retailers report a slight falling off in the volume of business transacted after Christmas and during the earlier part of the month, but the autumn sales are now being held, and good business is being done.

Building Trades.—Bricklaying, busy. Carpentry and joinery very busy. Although a number of carpcnters have completed work at the Foatherston Camp, most have been absorbed Atup the transports. There is still a fair amount of building going on, and few, if any, carpenters are out of employment. Plastering busy; there is an unsatisfied demand for plasterers. Painting: Fairly busy. Plumbing: Busy; work is regular and constant. AA'oodivorking Trades.—Boxmaking very bus>\ Cabinetmaking and upholstering fairly busy; no men reported idle. Coopering; Very busy; there is a largo demand for tallow cask's, and coopers are wanted. Sash and Door Factories: Fairly busy. Engineering Trades.—All branches are particularly busy, and firms are unable to cope with the amount of work offering. There is a demand for tradesmen.

Leather Trades.—Bootmaking : Busy; full time has been worked iu all factories since the Christmas holidays. Saddlery; Business normal.

Clothing Trades. —Dressmaking and Millinery: Trade has been a little quieter than during the preceding month. Shirtmaking: A r ery busy, and there _ is room for more assistants. 1 Tailoring (factories): In all factories work is continuing brisk, and there is plenty of work 011 hand. Tailoring (order); Is a little quieter, and fev, r tailors are out of employment. AVoollen Milling: A r ery busy iu all branches. Retail Trades. —Clothing: Has been fairly busy. Boots: Good. Drapery: During the earlier part of the period business wa3 quiet, but many bouses are now the autumn sales, and satisfactory business is reported. Groceries: Normal.

Printing trades are a little quieter, hut all hands arc fully employed. Meat Freezing Trades.—Slaughtering, freezing, and preserving very busy; the local works are- now working at high pressure, and stock is coming forward satisfactorily. Coachbuilding Trades—Blacksmithing: Busy; no men idle. . Coach and Carriage Building: Fairly busy. Cycle and Motor (trades.—Busy; plenty of repair work offering, and sales are good. Miscellaneous.—Mineral water factories have been particularly busy, and unable to copo with the demands made 'upon them. Unskilled Labour, Etc.—There was a steady demand for workers of all classes during the .month, and little difficulty was mot with in securing employment for all likely applicants. Of the 161 workers assisted, the majority consisted of general labourers, but comprise also bricklayers, carpenters, cabinetmakers, farm hands, hotel workers, painters, upholsterers, discharged soldiers, and enlisted men (requiring temporary work only); harvest workers were not in demand as expected, owing to the crops being light in the Wairarapa, Canterbury, and Mirrlborough districts. Those who had registered with the Department for such employment were either already in work and were available only in case of emergency, -or were willing to accept other employment -which tho Department had to offer. Generally it may be said that tho month under, review was a record one for the reason that there was ample work offering for all ltona-fide workers, and, further, that at times it was quite impossible to meet the domands of /employers. Of the, 161 men assisted, 61 are married and 100 single, with 191 dependents ; 82 were sent to private and 7!) to Government works; "44 came from the North Island, 31 from the South Islaiid. 16 from the Commonwealth, 66 from Great Britain, and 4 from o'her places.