FEWER FACTORIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 223, 20 September 1929, Page 16

FEWER FACTORIES.

INDUSTRIAL CONDITIONS. PEACEFUL LABOUR YEAE. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Keporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. Though 'the movement is not considered very marked, the Labour Depart-ment-records a decrease of 105 in the number of factories registered in 1928-29, the -total being 16,677. The number of workers, 102,795, was greater by 173. While other countries show a considerable development in the direction of large-scale factories and other works, there has been no such tendency in New Zealand, except in butter and cheese factories, notably in the Waikato. It is urged in Australia and elsewhere that manufacturers cannot expect to be able to compete w'ith those in other countries until they adopt similar methods. In New Zealand the tendency has been in the opposite direction, quite a large number of factory workers having opened small establishments for themselves, either in preference to remaining as employees or on account of losing their positions. The industrial year has been peaceful, 94 per cent of the disputes submitted to commissioners and conciliation councils having been substantially settled by them.

The wages in a number of important trades are contrasted with award rates, the Department expressing the opinion that while-for a number of years-the rates generally paid frequently . exceeded award rates, the wages now being paid tend to- fall towards. 1 award rates. Of 276 industrial disturbances 248 occurred among shipping and waterside workers, miners and freezing "workers, and the remaining 28 (10 per cent) in 14 other industries. The number of working days lost per'looo of the population through New Zealand strikes or lock-outs is nine. New South Wales, on the same basis of comparision, shows. 478 days' lost.