H.—44.

Soap and Candle making. Official .statistics, year ended 31st March :— 1929. 1930. 1931. Establishments (number) .... 23 18 22 Employees (number) .. . . 474 452 438 Wages paid .. .. .. £100,155 £97,209 £96,919 Value of output £523,230 £508,020 £478,896 Value added by manufacture .. £246,800 £250,908 £251,990 The value added by manufacture, which is the best indication of industrial progress, is approximately the same as last year. Reports for the current year show some reduction in turnover. Competition is extremely keen, and price-cutting is a feature of the trade at present. The wholesale price of bar soap is the lowest since 1914. The trade in toilet soap is reported as satisfactory. Quantitatively, sales have increased, but selling-values have declined. Considerable advance has been shown in manner of packing in fancy boxes, resulting in the New Zealand product securing greater proportion of market requirements. Coach and Motor-body Building. Official statistics, year ended 31st March :— 1929. 1930. 1931. Establishments (number) .. .. 170 166 166 Employees (number) .. .. 1,405 1,522 1,385 Wages paid .. .. .. £290,153 £326,082 £279,516 Value of output .. .. .. £685,948 £754,774 £610,990 Value added by manufacture .. £432,995 £468,574 £373,959 The reports from various units of the industry for the current year show further serious decline in output, accompanied by depletion of staffs. Some manufacturers state that business has declined by 90 per cent, compared with last year. Biscuit and Confectionery making. Official statistics, year ended 31st March:— 1929. 1930. 1931. Establishments (number) .... 68 59 60 Employees (number) .. .. 2,570 2,719 2,716 Wages paid .. .. .. £344,463 £358,422 £367,944 Value of output £1,547,341 £1,676,440 £1,596,660 Value added by manufacture .. £758,614 £857,026 £842,829 The figures above show that the position of 1930 was well maintained. Reports for the current year show that turnover has declined, necessitating curtailed staff in some factories and short time in others. One factory reports increased turnover and overtime has been worked. Competition from local sources has been keen. Falling-off in turnover is due to a large extent to the demand for cheaper grades of confectionery. Furniture and Cabinet making. Official statistics, year ended 31st March:— 1929. 1930. 1931. Establishments (number) .. .. 331 334 335 Employees (number) .. .'. 2,675 2,774 2,378 Wages paid .. .. . ■ £515,566 £541,235 £451,376 Value of output £1,342,948 £1,381,995 £1,156,512 Value added by manufacture .. £756,285 £783,322. £649,708 Reports from the trade indicate a further decline in production figures for the current year. Staffs have been further reduced, and notwithstanding greatly reduced prices the volume of business has declined. Ham and Bacon Factories. Official statistics, year ended 31st March :— 1929. 1930. 1931. Establishments (number) .... 45 45 41 Employees (number) .. .. .. 374 396 380 Wages paid £90,539 £94,270 £92,692 Value of output £989,672 £1,156,621 £949,597 Value added by manufacture .. .. £298,049 £319,178 £325,536 Cost of materials used £691,623 £837,443 £624,061 The value of output declined by £207,024. Value added by manufacture, which indicates more accurately the position of an industry, shows an increase of £6,358. The increase is due to the lower cost of materials used which declined, by £213,382. Bricks, Pipes, Tiles, and Pottery making. Official statistics, year ended 31st March :— 1929. 1930. 1931. Establishments (number) .... 67 66 61 Employees (number) .. .. .. 1,233 1,156 946 Wages paid £278,965 £248,429 £213,895 Value of output .. .. .. £666,450 £645,209 £564,489 Value added by manufacture .. .. £640,916 £614,091 £537,775 This industry is experiencing the full effect of the serious decline in building activity. Advices received show that a substantial number of brickworks have closed down and the present demand is being supplied from accumulated stocks. The output of sanitary ware from a southern works shows an increase. Plans are under consideration for the erection of a pottery-works for the manufacture of domestic earthenware, such as teapots, flower-vases, &o.

22