H.—35.

Although the 1930 (March year) figures in the above table do not show the full effects of the 1930 slump in prices, nevertheless a decline in the volume of employment is recorded in many industries. In the sawmilling industry a downward tendency in employment has been recorded during the five years under review, the number of employees in 1930 (7,381) being 2,262 below the 1926 figures (9,643) —a decrease of 23-4:6 per cent. The number of employees engaged in the gasmaking industry has steadily declined each year since 1926. The substitution of electricity for gas is no doubt the main cause contributing to this decrease; employment in the electric generating and supply industry having increased from 1,985 in 1926 to 2,459 in 1930. Electric-tramway employees numbered 2,936 in 1930, as compared with 3,310 in 1926. Employment in this industry has also decreased year by year since 1926. A similar position is recorded in the brick, tile, and pottery making industry, which had 1,392 employees in 1926, and 1,156 in 1930. The boot and shoe industry also had fewer employees in 1930 than in 1926. Employment in the engineering trades increased considerably in the years immediately prior to 1930, particularly in the motor-engineering industry, which employed 5,511 persons in 1930, an increase of 1,962, or 55 per cent., since 1926. This industry was, however, affected very adversely by the slump in 1930, imports of motor-vehicles having fallen from £4,278,924 in the calendar year 1929 to £2,448,781 in 1930. Employment in flax-milling is on a definitely lower level than in previous years, the number of employees in 1930 (903) being 338 less than in 1926, a decline of 27 per cent. Building Activity. The value of building permits issued by cities, boroughs, and town districts during the last ten years is shown below as an indication of the movement in building activities during that period : —

The value of building permits issued by cities, boroughs, and town districts during the year ended 31st March, 1931, was £5,473,395, a decrease of £4,486,472 as compared with the 1929-30 figure. During the previous seven years the value of building permits issued varied between £9,054,421 (in 1928-29) and £11,019,389 (1926-27). The sudden falling-off of such great magnitude in building activity has had far-reaching effects on the unemployment situation generally. Apart from the resultant unemployment in the building trades and in industries supplying buildingmaterials, serious repercussions in other industries are caused by the diminished purchasing-power of those directly affected by the slump in building activity. The falling-off in the building trade was particularly marked in the later months of 1930 and early in 1931, as is illustrated in the following table, which shows the actual value of building permits issued in the larger towns during each month of 1930 and the early months of 1931 :—

Value of Building Permits issued in Larger Towns.

5—H, 35.

33

y ear Number of New Value of New Value of Alterations to Total Value of all Buildings. Buildings. Existing Buildings. Permits £ £ £ 1921-22 .. .. 5,015 4,602,834 680,178 5,283,012 1922-23 .. .. 6,563 6,124,439 977,242 7,101,681 1923-24 .. .. 7,804 7,708,933 1,437,546 9,146,479 1924-25 .. .. 6,907 7,823,331 1,480,829 9,304,160 1925-26 .. .. 7,917 8,613,549 1,555,981 10,169,530 1926-27 .. .. 8,354 9,357,977 1,661,412 11,019,389 1927-28 .. .. 6,914 8,127,732 1,537,484 9,665,216 1928-29 .. .. 6,199 7,326,464 1,727,957 9,054,421 1929-30 .. .. 6,705 7,917,349 2,042,528 9,959,877 1930-31 .. .. 4,111 4,240,238 1,233,157 5,473,395

Month. J New Building, E^S£g , Total. 1930. £ £ £ January .. .. .. 546,133 119,823 665,956 February .. .. .. 404,105 148,189 552,294 March " .. .. ... 667,090 159,893 826,983 April .. .. .. .. 301,275 102,831 404,106 May .. .. .. .. 406,980 ' 133,316 540,296 June .. .. .. .. 352,460 164,492 516,952 July .. .. .. .. 451,838 113,248 565,086 August .. .. .. 335,546 85,152 420,698 September .. .. .. 331,160 103,863 435,023 October .. .. .. 407,348 87,638 494,986 November .. .. .. 235,320 81,065 316,385 December .. .. .. 176,702 80,448 257,150 1931. January .. .. .. 174,321 55,285 229,606 February .. .. .. 234,814 65,327 300,141 March .. .. .. 196,686 60,411 257,097