LABOUR DEPARTMENT.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15318, 4 August 1915, Page 3

LABOUR DEPARTMENT.

THE YEAR'S WORK. prosperity general. (special to "the pruss. ) WELLINGTON, August 3. The annual report of the Labour Department. which was presented to Parliament this afternoon by the Prime Minister (Minister of Labour), states that in May last a great deal of unemployment was mot by providing work on the railways and roads. \\ ith the. advent of spring, however, the condition of things had improved wonderfully. Several trades, notably the leather trades, were kept exceptionally busy through the demands of the Reinforcements, and, indeed, all stilled trades had been kept steadily busy miyco October last. For th© primary industries, there had been a particularly busy season, and labour had been difficult to find at timce, owing to the number of men from the country who had gone to the front. The position was one calling for early action to ensure that the crop* wnild ''<■ garnered without undue delay. In accordance with instructions, the Secretary for Labour 'Mr I'. ley) stated that- in a short while ho hoped to be a!>! 0 to submit proposals for the training in the new methods of handling tools, disabled soldiers and unskilled workers. Since the establishment of the Department 100.524 workers had received practical assistance from the Department, with dependents totalling 111,'1-IG. The number assisted last year showed an increase of IH7O over 10.13-14. Last year ti1,0(55 was advanced to workers 'u railway fares, of which sum £99-19 was repaid by them. There was an increase of 468 in the nuinlier of factories registered, as compared with the previous year. The number of had- not increased in the usual proportion, the advance totalling only 1295. The increase in tin- number of factories was no doubt partly due to the growing practice of some of the larger elothin<j factories and drapery establishments when sufficient labour had' not been obtained of giving out work. There were many houses registered as "work-rooms.' where a woman alor.e. or perhaps with her daughter, did shirt-making, trou-ser-mncbining, etc. Tn Auckland there were 17(51 factories, in Wellington 1114, in Christchurch 1282. and in Dunedin 1115.

The proportion of accidents in factories; to the number of employed was 10.88 per thousand. The number of prosecutions under the Shops and Offices Art during the yenr diminished by one-half. There were four strikes of minor importance during the year— Brieklayers (Auckland), cheese factory workers general lalwurera ("Westport>. and the steamer Maori's firemen. Thirty-fire new unions of workers were registered during the venr, comprising 1.114 workers. The Conciliation Councils and the Arbitration Court had dealt with 34 industrial agreements. The Court had mado 71 awards, and there had been 336 enforcements of awards. The .total expenditure for the year of the Councils of Conciliation was £37?8, and of the Arbitration Conrt £4234 (this amount included tho salaries of the Commissioners £1500. and the members of the Court £2800"). Tt was honed that before the end of the ye.ir the accommodation at flnxmills and sawmills would be greatly improved. In regard to wood-workers, the report states that, there are scores of positions available at. eoofl wages. At Xel'on as much as £1 10s to £° per week can be earned at fruit-grading.