THE INDUSTRIAL YEAR.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14761, 3 September 1913, Page 7

THE INDUSTRIAL YEAR.

■ •♦ WORK AND -YORKERS. LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S REPORT. A NORMAL YEAR. 'SPEriAT. TO " TIIK PHESS."*[ WELLINGTON, September 2. The Secretary of Labour (Mr J. Lomas), in the Labour report presented to the House to-day, states that the year just closed was a normal one from an industrial point of view. The first three months of the departmental year —April, May, and June. 1912—gave promise of great activity in most manufacturing concerns, but after the end of Juno, a falling off was experienced in seme trades, and although there was no undue slackness of work, the call for more adult male workers was not insistent. The building trades were fairly busy right throughout the year, and" competent hands lost no time whatever on account of slackness. In some branches of the trade there was an unsatisfied demand for men, especially for plasterers and bricklayers. Plumbers ana painters had a very fair run of work, and tho furniture trade workers wero also fully employed. Towards the latter end of the year (February and March) there wero signs of slackness in the furniture trade (especially at Auckland), and a few men were reported to be out of work. The engineering trade had a steady run for about ten months, but in the last two months somo hands were discharged—generally unskilled workers —owing to slackness of trade. UNSKILLED WORKERS. As to unskilled workers generally, the position was at no time acute, although during last winter tho number of such applicants in the cities exceeded the demand for their services. The employment of unskilled workers is •generally very intermittent during tho winter season, especially for those who cannot or will not leave tho towns. A very large number of men willing to take up country work were assisted by the Department, and this materially relieved the hardship on those remaining behind. > Tho total number of men assisted by the Department during the year showed an increase over 1911-12. In that year 5735 were assisted or sent to employment, as against 5848 in 1912-13 (an increase of 113). Of tho number assisted in 1912-13 1G39 wore married and 4209 were single men and widowers. Of the total, 3705 were sent to, or given assistance to, private employment, and 2143 were sent to Government works. FARM WORKERS. During the early spring and summer, a steady demand set in for farm workers. The demand continued right up to the end of the year under review. The number of hands required was not available, and the Department found the utmost difficulty in getting labour for farmers, especially for the dairy fari mors in the Taranaki district. A disi tinct shortage of men was experienced ! also in the cheoso factories, and the vacancies took some time to fill. A total of 719 farm hands wero assisted to em- | ployment by tho Department. The great majority of these hailed from I oversea, and beyond having a physical capacity and desire for such work, wero '' not specially experienced or trained in j farm work. Farmers find the immigrants as a general rule to be adaptable and capable, and those possessing a real desire to learn the work turn out very 1 satisfactory workmen. ! RECORD REFUNDS. There is ono feature in regard to the assistance afforded to men by the De partment which is deserving of special mention. The sum of £2100 was voted by Parliament last year for the purpose of assisting men by means.of advancin*: their fares to both Government and private employment. Of this vote £1921 was expended and £18-12 has been recovered from the men, representing 9G per cent, of the amount advanced. In the previous year the percentage was 94.6. The result for 1912-13 constitutes a record, "and I am doubtful," says the Secretary, "whether any other Labour Departmont can show such a result."