Factory Workers Increase as Shop Employees Decline

Taranaki Daily News, 26 August 1942, Page 4

Factory Workers Increase as Shop Employees Decline

Wellington, Aug. 25. An increase in the number of factory employees from 132,907 in 1941 to 134,039 In April, 1942, is reported by the Department of Labour in its annual report. The number of persons employed in shops dropped from 53,461 to 52,026. Because of the continued mobilisation of men of militarv age, the number of men employed in factories declined from 82,316 to 80,469, while the decrease from 26,718 to 24,451 in the number of men employed in shops could be attributed to the same cause. On the other handr the number of women in factories increased from 34,291 to 37,111, and in shops from 26,743 to 27,575. Transfers of women to essential employment following registration could be expected to vary considerably those numbers. With a view to the absorption of local female labour, factories, particularly clothing factories, had been established or re-established in certain of the smaller towns, but there was still a reserve of female labour in some areas, for instance. Westland, where there were practically no secondary industries. Overtixne Hours. Hours of overtime worked in 1941 were 1,413,175, against 1,241,807 in 1940, and 950,140 in 1939. A careful inquiry had been made to ascertain that the health of workers had not been impaired as a result of extra hours. It appeared that in a number of cases no overtime at all was being undertaken, while cases of excessive hours of work had occurred, particularly in engineering trades. Overtime hours being worked weekly in some of the important industries were: Canister making, 10 to 12 hours; canvas working, two to 17; clothing manufacturing, three to 16; engineering and munitions, 10 to 30; soap manufacturing, four to 10; timber joinery and boxmaking, six to 14; woollen milling, six to 15. A general extension of the working week had been advocated in the press and otherwise as an essential requirement in present conditions. This question had received frequent and extended consideration by the Industrial Efficiency Council which had taken the view that a blanket extension of ordinary hours would not of itself bring about an increase in production, and it had adhered to the 40-hour week, dealing in individual cases with extension problems. Industrial Disturbances. Industrial disturbances during the year totalled 111, compared with 49 in 1940-41, and 70 in 1939-40. These absences involved lost time equivalent to 45,759 working days, compared with 24,082 days in the previous year. Of these disturbances, 52 were in the mining industry, 11 in the shipping and water - front industry, and 36 in the freezing industry. The shortage of skilled labour in industry is commented on in the annual report of the controller of employment. He said it had been felt to an increasing extent. The woollen and clothing manufacturing industries could ahsorb considerably more workers, and the newly-launched linen flax industry had felt the need of numbers of suitable men who, could be trained for skilled and semi-skilled factory processes. Other industries, such as tannery works and lime quarries, had particularly felt the pinch. The bush-felling and sawmilling industry remained short of experienced workers. The shortage constituted a serious bottle-neck in the production of timber for defence, housing, and other constructional purposes.