DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9067, 16 April 1908, Page 7

DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR.

MONTHLY REPORT. The official report of the Labour Department for April, upon the conditions of employment and trade, is to hand. Prom it we extract the following concerning labour in the Wairarapa:— Masterton.— The dry spell experienced for five months past broke during the latter part of March, when a splendid rainfall was recorded. This has completely changed the aspec* of the country, and everything bears a ■decidedly brighter appearance. Messrs Koff and Thompson had the misfortune to lose their ilax-mill by Are, and this has occasioned loss of employment by those engaged in this industry. During the padt month the building trade has slackened off considerably, and a number of carpenters and others have experienced loss of time on that account. Coachbuilding and painting are quiet; only stock work being in hand. Building trades: Quiet, prospects of improvement good. Furniture trade: Fair; -all hands fully employed. Saddlery : Good, with fair demand for horsecovers. Plumbing and tinsmithing: Brisk. Engineering and moulding: b'ack. General blacksmithing: Good business being don 3. Motor and cycle trade: Repairs good; sales somewhat alack. Dressmaking and millinery: Average business fully maintained. Tailoring: Good for eeason of the .year. Retail trades: Good business is reported, though mr.ney is still tight. Unskilled labour: During the month one married man, with seven dependants, and four single men were placed in employment. To Nui.—Building 'trades: Brisk; all local men have beer, fully employed during the month erecting ■outhouses and repairing dwellinghouses, and several men from other ■districts are employed here at cottage and bridge work. Retail trades: A. very fair business has been done hi all branches during the month. Miscellaneous: Blacksmiths have been doing a good trade during the month. .Some intend putting on extra hands next month, as trade has increased. Unskilled labour: Al 1 local men have been fully employed, with the exception of a few during wet weather, at scrub-cutting, road work, fencing, and grass-seed sowing. Only a few swaggers were seen on the road, and they got emDloyment at scrub-cut-ting. Several fencers are required in this district at the present time ■either at weekly or contract work. Grey town. —Building trades: Not very brisk at present. Miscellaneous: 'The output of the local cheese-factory is much lower that at this time last year, owing to the drought which "lasted so long. A ilax-mill was about to start at Papawai—machinery and plant were ready to start operations; but owing to the low price of flax the owner has decided not to run his mill at present. Unskilled labour: Local labour is fairly well employed, but there are some idle men in the town the past two or three weeks. Several swaggers have been seen travelling the roads.