LABOR REPORT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 245, 22 February 1911, Page 3

LABOR REPORT

! REPORT FROM NEW PLYMOUTH. ' The following is the report of the • local Inspector of Factories, Mr. H .H. Willis, in the Journal of Labor: The period just elided has been tile busiest experienced during the whole year, both in the manufacturing and retail trades. Retailers in particular have done very satisfactory business. Some of the 'manufacturing trades have eased off considerably since the holidays, particularly the clothing trades. The building and allied trades are still busy, while boot-manufacturing, and killing, freezing, and preserving are still busy, although in some factories the output is gradually diminishing; the season so far has been a very satisfactory one. Building trades. —Bricklaying still continues very good, and all local.tradesmen are employed. Carpentry and joinery— Trade continues very good, and all available are constantly employed, most of the work being in the outlying portions of the town. Painting continues fairly busy, and there has been sufficient work offering during the period to keep all hands almost constantly employed. Plastering—Outside work still continues very good, with the result that all tradesmen have had constant work. Plumbing and gasfitting continues very good, most firms having ht.d sufficient

work to give their hands full emplajyment. Stonemasonry—Monumental work has been very good during the period. Woodworking trades.—Boxmaking still continues very busy, and is likely to be so until the end of the season. Cabinetmaking and upholstering—Trade still continues very good in these branches ; all hands have been constantly employed during the period, and some qvert'iihe has been worked. Coopering continues busy, although there are comparatively few men employed- at this trade. Sash and door factories still continue bus 1 )', and in some factories overtime has been worked. Sawmilling continues very good and all local mills are running full time. Wood-turning, etc.—Trade is very good.

Engineering trades.—Electrical engineering continues very good, and all hands have been constantly employed during the period. Fitting and turning continues regular, sufficient work having offered to keep employees going; but trade cannot be described as busy m these branches. Iron and brass moulding: Trade is hot brisk, and there are* not so many hands employed as during the last two or three months.

Leather trades.—Bootmaking (factories) : Trade continues very good, and all hands have been constantly employed; difficulty is still being experienced by manufacturers in" obtaining 'sufficient women workers. Boot repair-shops: Trade in this branch has been very good during the period. Saddlery and harnessmaking: All shops have been busy during the period, and in some cases men have worked overtime.

Clothing trades.—Dressmaking and millinery still continue fairly busy. Tailoring (factories): Trade is not nearly so brisk as it was earlier in the month. Tailoring (order): Trade shows a falling off in most workrooms towards the end of the period; however, very iew tradesmen are idle, and the lull in trade is expected to be only of a temporary nature. Retail trades.—Clothing: Very good business has been done'during the period Boots: Trade in this line has been quits up to expectations. _ Drapery: Most shops have experienced a very satisfactory month, and some have been exceptionally busy. Groceries: Business has been very satisfactory during the period. Business in all retail tradesJias been quite up to shopkeepers expectations.

Printing trades.—Bookbinding: Trade has been very good during the period. Printing 'lias continued very good; all hands have been constantly employed. Meat-freezing etc.—-Tanning, currying, and fellmongering: Tanning and currying have been fairly busy during the period; fellmongering has been and is at present very busy. Slaughtering, freezing, and preserving: There i,s an improvement in these industries since last report, and in all branches the hands have been fully employed. 'A' large and constant supply of cattle Is coming forward, but the quantity of mutton and lamb offering has up to the- present not reached expectations. Coachbuilding trades. Blacksniithing shows an improvement since last report. Coach and carriage building has not been very busy during the period, and .there has been barely sufficient work offering to keep permanent hands constantly employed. Cycle and motor trades have been busy during the period, particularly the latter branch. There i.s an ever-increasing number of ears in the district, and their upkeep provides employment for a number of artisans.

Agricultural operations. —Farming and dairying have been very brisk in all branches during the period. Shearing operations are about, finished, and the clip has in most cases been very satisfactory. Miscellaneous. —Aerated-water makers have had an exceptionally busy month. Briekmnking has not been very brisk, and trade Ims not «ho\vn any improvement since last report. Tinsmifhing continues very fair; sufficient work has offered to keep hands fairly constantly employed. Oil-boring operations are being steadfastly pursued with encouraging results. Unskilled labor.—There have been very few applications for work of any sort during the period. The prospects for the unskilled worker have never been as good in this district during the last four years as at present. There is plenty of work offering in the outlying portions of the district, and there is no necessity for any man who is willing to tackle hard work in the country to remain idle.