H—lla

(/) Freezing-works (Horotiu). —With a seasonal peak demand, apart from permanent staff, of approximately 450 men, staffing requirements were satisfactorily met, largely by drawing upon the seasonal register of men available, together with men volunteering for this work. Additional accommodation provided at the works hostel eased the position. Initial difficulties in obtaining sufficient slaughtermen were overcome as shearers became available and as releases from the Army proceeded. Despite larger killings of stock, the work was fully maintained right to the end of the period under review. (g) Hospitals (including Mental Hospital).—A definite shortage of workers of all classes, particularly domestic staff, has been evident in the hospitals, though the position has not been serious. Lack of living-in accommodation and irregular bus services have been restrictive factors, though endeavours have been made to overcome these difficulties. (h) Hotels and Restaurants. —A shortage of waitresses and other domestic staff has been apparent, though the recorded number of unsatisfied vacancies has not been unduly high, standing at 40 on 31st March, 1946. (i) Returned Servicemen.—The position regarding the placement of ex-servicemen in this district has been very satisfactory. Skilled men and fit unskilled men have been easily placed, and, even in the case of those fit only for work of a light or temporary nature, placements have generally been effected after the lapse of a day or two. Paeroa District 455. Vacancies for males notified to the Department during the period were fourteen times as great as the number of persons seeking employment. Cases of unemployment have been largely " frictional," due in part to a somewhat fluctuating demand for male labour in different industries, but also to the return to pre-war employment of many discharged returned servicemen. This has resulted in the temporary displacement of a number of unskilled or only partly skilled men until they have been satisfactorily absorbed into other suitable occupations. Incidentally, the return of skilled labour from the Forces has in several instances enhanced the opportunities of employment for the semi-skilled and unskilled workers. (a) Farming Industry.—-At the end of September, 1945, male vacancies notified for all farms were 31, of which 27 were on dairy-farms, but since this date the number still offering had fallen off to only 7at the end of March, 1946. This easing of the position was largely the result of demobilization. Owing to the lack of married accommodation, most requests for labour have been for single men particularly youths. (S) Dairy Factories. —A concentrated drive for volunteer labour resulted in the reduction of the notified vacancies from 96 at the beginning of the season to nil in November. (c) Other Industries. —Vacancies for skilled men have been buoyant, particularly for building tradesmen, for underground miners (gold-mining) at Waihi, and for engineering personnel of all kinds at Thames. Large areas of developmental work being undertaken by the Drainage Branch of the Lands and Survey Department at Kerepeehi, on the Hauraki Plains (with ample single accommodation), have absorbed a number of men, largely unskilled. If the Paeroa-Pokeno Railway, to give direct access to Auckland, is proceeded with, it will give a marked impetus to employment in Paeroa and its environs. At least sixteen separate business firms have opened up in anticipation of this work being procseded with and as a result of the female labour shortage in larger centres. - (d) Females. —There has been no recorded unemployment. With exceptional competition for labour by factories in the Auckland Province (particularly in the latter part of the period under review), the demands for female labour have been well in excess of women available. The opening-up of a boot-factory at Thames has further added to the demand for labour. In the clothing industry notified vacancies rose suddenly from 6at 15th February, 1946, to 50 at 28th February, 1946. The position of the hospitals (Thames, Waihi, Coromandel, and Whitianga), particularly regarding domestic staff, has been very difficult, and institutions have in the latter stages of the year been relying partly on temporary help by elderly people. The nursing position is also difficult. Rotorua District 456. With notified vacancies exceeding the number of disengaged persons on an average by 28 to 1 in the case of males during the period, the employment position has continued buoyant. For females, similarly, vacancies have greatly exceeded disengaged persons, and there has been no unemployment. A steady demand for labour persists throughout the majority of industries in the district with a corresponding shortage of personnel available. (a) Bush and Saivmilling Industry.—There has been a marked shortage, particularly of experienced timber-workers, for both bush and sawmill work; skilled men simply have not been available, and key men have been at a premium. Throughout a considerable part of the industry the lack of

85