DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3049, 20 November 1908, Page 7

DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR.

"The Journal of tine Department of Labour for November contains the following concerning Mastertoti and Featherston :-- MASTERTON. Business firms again report having experienced a very dull month. Building trades show no improvement since last report. Shearing operations will be in full swing during the coming month. Moulding still continues fair. A little bvertime has been worked in the tailoring and ■dressmaking trades. Indications point to very prosperous season in all cereals. Money is reported to be very *ight. Building trades—Bricklaying normal. Carpentery and joinery quiet. Printing somewhat dull. Plastering ifairly quiet. Plumbing and gasfitting very slack. Stonemasonry—Poor business reported. Woodworking trades—Boxmaking -fairly busy; all hands fully employed. Cabinetmaking and upholstering fair for this time of the year, but Tfehere is room for improvement. Sash and door factories fair. Sawmilling slack. Engineering trades—Fitting and turning quiet. Iron and brass moulding— Fair trade is rsported. Leather trades —Bootmaking (repair shops) -Trade is busy, and all hands are fully employed. Saddlery and harness making has been fairy good during the past month. Cothing trades—Dressmaking and millinery—Trade has improved considerably, and some overtime has bien worked. Tailoring (order) very good, but not equal to corresponding period last year; a fair amount of overtime has been worked. Retail trades—Clothing Fair trade reported Boots slack. Drapery and groctries quiet. Printing trade —Fair business has •been done. Meat-freezing, etc. Tanning, currying and fellmongering fairly good. Coachbuilding trades—Blacksmithhig only fair. Coach and carriage building fair; but no overtime has ibeen worked. Cycle and motor trades: Repair branch has been very brisk, but sales are slack. Agricultural operations—Farming, dairying, etc.—Farmers have been particularly busy this month preparing ground for turnips, Tape, etc. The country is. looking exceedingly well, and there is an abundance of feed. All day-factories are busy. Miscellaneous—Wool-press manufacturing, etc—Trade has been very brisk during the past month, but no -overtime has been worked. x Unskilled labour—The demand for unskilled labour has been very quiet -as compared with the corresponding period last year. No doubt shearing will absorb a number still unemployed. During the period under review two single men have been placed in private employment by the Department. FEATHERSTON. There is every appearance of a prosperous year in and around Featherston. The crops have never looked better, and a good yield is looked forward to. The milk supply has exceeded other years, and there is abundance of grass. The stock is in splendid condition, and the yield of wool is greater than . last year on account of the mild winter. Business generally has toeen very good during the month. The erection of a new post-office here has provided work for a number of hands. Building trades— Bricklaying fairly good. Carpentery and joinery—All hands have been kept busy during the month. Painting fairly good Plastering—A few hands employed ■at new post-office. Plumbing busy. Leather trades—Bootmaking—Repair shops busy. Saddlery and harnessmaking busy. Retail trades—Business good curing the month. Coachbuilding trades:— Blacksmithing All hands employed; business very good. „Cvcle and motor trades good. Agricultural operations —Farming, • dairying, etc., very busy during the month. Miscellaneous—Tne cheese factory has been very busy, and the supply - of milk to factories has been exceptionally good. Unskilled labour During the past month applications for employment have decreased considerably, and there is practically no one out of employment in this district.