H—llA

employed rose from 49 per cent, in 1939 to 60 per cent, in October, 1945. Government Departments and local bodies employed 15,000 more females in October, 1945, than in 1939 (including war time replacements still continuing at the later date), and it is not surprising that striking changes should be observed in transport and communication and in professional services and administration, where Government Departments and local authorities play so large a part. (See Table 27 of the Appendix for further illustration of changes in sex composition over the war years.) 436. Food, Drink, and Tobacco. —In the food, drink, and tobacco industries there were decreases in females employed in biscuit-making and confectionery, and in tobacco and cigarette making. All but theke two industries in the group had increased their female staff above pre-war level by October, 1945, keeping (except in the case of baking, where male employees decreased) a fairly constant ratio of males to females. In October, 1945, female labour predominated in three industries — namely, biscuit and confectionery, where females comprised 54 .per cent, of the total staff; pastrycooks and home cookeries, 75 per cent. ; and tobacco and cigarette making, 75 per ceat. These industries accounted for approximately one-sixth of the total labour strength of the group. 437. Clothing, Textiles, and Leather. —The clothing, textiles, and leather group employs 10 per cent, of the female labour force, and contains the two largest users of female factory labour —namely, woollen-knitting and hosiery-mills, employing 3,514 females in the units surveyed, and clothing-factories, employing 12,789. The group is characterized by the larger proportion of female employees and by the comparative stability of this proportion over the war years. A consideration of the movement of its three largest members will serve as an illustration :

438. In October, 1945, these three industries made up four-fifths of the labour strength of the group. 439. Engineering, Motor Engineering, and Allied.—ln the engineering, motor engineering, and allied trades female labour plays a relatively minor part. There are, however, some 1,600 females in general engineering industries, and over 800 in motor engineering. 440. Electrical engineering and radio manufacture employing 2,493 males and 824 females has the largest percentage (25 per cent.) of females to total staff. 441. Other Secondary Industries. —A heterogeneous collection of industries is marshalled under the heading of " Other Secondary Industries," but it is interesting to note that while there was a decrease in the number of males in some industries, .notably, in industries working in timber or wood, and in printing, publishing, and photography, the survey disclosed in every industry greater numbers of females in 1945, than in 1939. *> ■ 442. Significant changes in the female labour content are found in the two largest employers of labour in the group —namely, the manufacture of animal, vegetable-, and 'mineral'products, where 27 per cent, of the 3,545 workers were females in 1939, as

80

Industry. Pre-war Labour Force. October , 1945. Males. Females. Total. Percentage of Females. Males. Females. Total. Percentage of Females. Woollen-knitting and 1,691 2,997 4,688 64 2,156 3,514 5,670 62 hosiery-mills Clothing-factOries 2,286 12,388 14,674 84 2,245 12,789 15,034 85 Footwear-manufacture.. 1,888 1,783 3,671 49 2,115 1,892 4,007 47