ASHBURTON LABOUR MARKET.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7823, 16 June 1909, Page 1

ASHBURTON LABOUR MARKET.

- Tke Goverrinient Labour. Agent at Asnburtun jbightroot; reporiia as ,'lolxows'' lor tixe moutn' of iiay : 'l'kere stiems to ue a general brightening-up of trade m tins district, owing to tke splendid harvest this season, (jrain is coming m m large quantities, ana grain-scores and hour-nulls are very uusy:v ifne tailoring ana aressniaking traues have been very busy auringthe niontn: a gooa deai ci overtime has been workeu, and there were openings ior good tailors and tailoresses at the time of writing. The builaing trades continue very quiet, and there does not appear to be any immediate prospect or much improvement. There is a fair demand for good navvies, several being required by tiie Mount bomers Coal Company for laying new tramway from the railway to 'theirl mine. Retail business^ is fairly steady, and many linns .have reported tkat money is coming m better than during the past two or three months.' A new electric-power station is just starting, and should do good business. Building trades: .bricklaying very quiet; men engaged are mostly on repair or alteration work. Carpentry and joinery are very quiet indeed; no immediate prospects of improvement. Painting is a little busier, and if .weather keeps fine tkere skould be' a fair '„ amount of work doing. Plumbing and gasfitting, like other building trades, are; quiet, although most hands;are fully employed on repairs, etc. ' Woodworking trades: Cabinetmaking and upholstering are quiet,' and there are very few orders coming m; mcii are workingl on goods for stock. • Sask and door factories, sawmilling,. and wood-turning, etc.', m sympatky with building trades, are very quiet. Engineering trades: Ag-ricultural-implement - making—A fair amount of repair work is being done, but there are few orders for new machines. Bootmaking (repair shops) : Trade is fairly good. Saddlery and harnessmaking—All; hands- fully , employed, but ,no demand for more labour. Clothing trades: Dressmaking and millinery are very busy just now, but trade is expected to fall off shortly. Shirtmaking—Only one smal}, factory which is busy, and coujd d° with one more;' learner. Tailoring (order) very busy; several skopsrare on overtime, and tkere is demand for good tailors and tailoreases, Woollen-mining All kands working full time; great difficulty is experienced m getting'boys for mill. Retail ,trades; Clotbing, _ boots, drapery, and groceries—Very fair business doing; no complaints. Printing busy. Meat-freezing, etc.; Tanning, currying, and fellmongering at freezing' works are busy 1, but outside fellmongers report a great falling-off of business. Slaugbtering, freezing, and preserving quiet; farmers and otkers are lidding back, sheep to get benefit of lower 1 winter rates. Coachbuilding trades: Blacksmithing and farriery keeping fairly busy. Coach and carriage building very quiet, mostly on repair work. Cycle and' motor trades: Repairing foade fairly good; not much business m sales. Agricultural operations-. Farming,; dairying, etc.', fairly busy at' plougKing ' arid early sowing. Threshing mills, are keeping bu,sy, ana there is "a demand for good men m these branches, Miscellaneous: The flax-miji has- cloged down entirely, which is due to the difficulty m getting flax. Aerated-water trade has slackened off on account of approach of winter. Grain-stores are very busy owing to abundant harvest. Watch and jewellery repairing—Very fair business doing. Unskilled labour: There,is a fair demand for good pick-and-shovel men, and- for men for gorse-grubbing, potato-digging, and for general agricultural , work. Only four men have applied for employment during month: two were sent to Mount Somers tramway, one to Timaru drainage works, and one found employment privately, i