LABOUR.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 95, 15 January 1908, Page 5

LABOUR.

CONDITIONS. OP - EMPLOYMENT ■ AND ;■ > . ,y TRADE. V The -following were > tho conditions. of'. employment., and trade .in. the-four .centres during last month (.according to-the Labour Department's Journal Trade generally during the,last month has been ■ good—-clothing trades ■ especially . so. Tailors ; and have had' an extremely .busy time, aiid a: great deal'of .overtime hns'boen worked.' This,is due chiefly to the season, of ;.tbo year aiid the-.'holidays; however, it is confidently-expected that the briskness .will continue for somo time yet. .. ■ Building -'trades continue brisk, and all available tradesmen' have • been kept busy. , Boot-making-: -This • trade-' has lieeii' '■ brisk, and all hands ihave'been fully employed. . Coaclibuilding: • This trade is fairly, busy, "although riot • so. busy as might be expcctc'd for : the,- season -of the year. ■ Dressmaking has been'exceptionally busy, arid''this; same difficulty as during last month is being- experienced in getting-hands. A groat deal 'of', overtime has' been worked. Tailoring has also been very brisk, arid "all hands have, Seen kept.exceptionally busy. A great deal of overtime; has. been. worked in this .trade' also. ;■' ' \ '. Engineering; shows' a " slight improvement, due chiefly to the demand for steel material lised . in' the various buildings in course of erection. .. Funiituro trades, have been busy, u and there are no hands out of employment. .Woollen-mills: Occupiers report a go.qd trade . doing',! and still a difficulty in obtaining'hands. : ■' • ; . ' '-• • , ' Plumbing and gas-fitting: This trade has been fairly' busy, sufficient; to keep, hands fujly, employed. - v. : 'Plastering: > This V. trade continues brisk; and ! employers are experiencing .difficulty in obtaining"competent hands.' , ' ; • - Painting: Continues'ifairly brisk; there are. no hands out of work; ■ ■ ' . . ..'Saddlery:.'--Fairly brisk for the season .of the year;. a • slight improvement on the. previous'month. -. V ■: - "Unskilled ■■ labour: There; has .been a.continuous .and larse demand for-afl kinds of labour during the past month, and difficulty was experienced in ' getting capable' men. Sawmill- hands; Jjusjifelie'rs,- navvies; farm hands, arid men for cheese-factories were required.; 'Good wages we're'offered in all branches/ A' few.,years' ago ■ tho wages paid to farm' hands vai;ied-- from 1 155... to £1 .per woek. and :fouud; now- £I'-ss. to; £1 10s.: is freely' offp'red. '' One • hundred and . seventylive married-and-single, inen,- with 73 dependcnts/'.'haye';been! found employment on .public and works'during December: Of. this muriber'Gi wero fronr Glreat-.Brit'ain; 19 front the - Commonwealth', -26 -from' .the;; South. .Island,. 3 -from' • miscellaneous puts)' while"; 63 bolon'ged' to" the .North • -Island. 1 Many. more capable men;could/have been placed, if' they had been available. ;; ;" . AUCKLAND. ' --. y ■-' Trade 'during the. month was very, satisfactory: All the'factories were-running -at full speed-right; up 'to the Christmas holidays, and the. same may bo 1 said'-"'of'.jail',other classes of business. There is-uo apparent indication of a falling off in trade. ' Tlio-building trade 'isi still, .very - active',- .and; there - is "every .indication.' of,.a-.continuance,"of this'-condition for' some time to come. " The engineering i-rado' .-is'.'still.;-ii( a: normal condition.-' Most shops are' workhi'g full-handed, but', thoro'are some; men-ill tho'trado.out- of-;v/ijrk!The boot- trade 1 ' is. still husy. in. all. branches,' and thefe'are'no indications of-slackening. Clothing "-.trade:;. Factories.- were - abnormally 'busy iip/to .the -holidays. Taildring^frado,:''.Very busy;.'ftill' working- 1 overtimo./ .Dressmakers and- .milliners aro .ibnorm'ally- : busy. ' Saddle and harness-makers'. are • also ■ busy! 1 ; Retsii) trade-in every';line.- is- very• brisk,- -and: thero arc.'.no co.mplaints,; except. tba£ s they are.t'oo biisy,'.c.spe'cially at closing time. Unskilled: •This,: brarie'li -bris 'been'jeryysatisfactory. The demand'. for- good-labourers :-ah'd.'farm hands. .esp^a!jy;' ) Mk^'-.ha6,il)eem\-mdre'."'.'tKan > -th 6 Department'- j.cquld :' supply. ■ ,-.During the pori6d.l72,;mon—viz.;. f6rty. : five ; ,'married' arid 127 v' single—have .-been "sent - to' Ooyernriient,;an'd ■'•private 'Work. ..'.7' .• .•' ' CHRISTCnURCH. Trade "during the month has been - verv busy,; and quite tip to anticipations.-Retail arid wholesale'- traders have been taxed to the utmost'..to . supply ■ Christmas'- orders..The volume of; trade .doria is quite up'to that of former years, and -in a . number tof ' trades business! exceeded the most optimistic expectations. Factories have worked a considerable amount of,overtime; in 'fact, quite a number.- of workers have already- worked the full number of nights allowed - under the Factories 'Act, ■ Tri.thc following trades—*■ clothing, dressmaking,. millinery, and laundry work,-"shopkeepers "have all been, busy pre : paring for the-rush of Christmas trade, and a large number- of assistants-have worked overtime on- special'work- in connection- with their different businesses. The. building trade is still in a very flourishing condition, 'and indications point"• to a -continuance. Thirty building permits have been issued by tho City Council for the past- month. . Agricultural implements: The trade has beon busy, especially with grass-seed strippers and wool presses,, and opinions have beon expressed that the season is rather better than usual; '• . ' '' ■ , • tienoral .engineering: Very busy, and'the - volume of trade hns, increased during the year. Moulding trade: Still very busy, and somo good hands' could be placed, Blacksmithing in foundries: Fairly busy, working full time. Metal workers' assistants: Fairly busy, working full -time. Electrical engineering: Very busy,', and more trade could bo done if the City Council could supply more power. . Tho boot factories have had a busy month, and trade has considerably- increased- during the year, in- fact the volume of trade done in some factories constitutes a record. Difficulty is still experienced in obtaining good female, .machinists. Boot tr'ado (retail): Shopkeepers report .that trade is normal. . Building trades have-been busy, with the exception of stonemasons.'. A few of tho lat r tor were unemployed for a short time on account of several .jobs being completed. In all other; branches tradesmen have been at a premium. - . : - t . Carpenters,, plasterers, plumbers, and painters, are working full time." No good tradesmen unemployed.-. The coach-building , trade, has-beon fairly .busy this month, [ mostly tin account of tho agricultural show. Many of the orders-came from the-North Island; in fact,; some, of.)the. factories arq . engaged ■ principally on orders - from towns outside of Christohurch. [ Motor-car. building, repairing, and paint--ing: This- trade , has. been very. .busy,'-espccir , ally .'body-building and .repairing.; .and fac- , torios-have had difficulty-in finding space for . cars to stand for repairing and overhauling preparatory to the Ghristchurch-Duncdin . motor ; reliability Itesti-, _. , .Boilermaking, normal. Raugemakingj very..busy. . ■ .. , Engine-drivers: There a re, a .number of engine-drivers,''-holding- certificates, oh tho , employment-book.. . ' I''urnifcure-t-rnd(;: Cabinetmalcing very busy. ; Polishing, ditto. Upholstering, ditto. "VVood- - turning ■ ,very' busy,' principally on .toys for Christmas trade; new machinery bos been orected to cope with the'.increased trade. .Freezing-works are'not yet in full .swing, but preparations are being made for a.start immediately after the holidays. Many of - tho; Australian slaughtermen aro returning , for the'season, and apparently .the season in 1 Australia has been very short. i .Saddle and harness, making very . busy; : quite up to. normal.. Leather-bag making: , A considerable amount of overtimo has been , worked in this - trade, and employers re] crt - Micro is a scarcity of good hands. s Sawmilling:: Sawmills have - been very busy , during' the month, principally in planings r and mouldings. ; n ' Cyclo trade:'A slight improvement is ni'.- ■, ticeable in this trade,, which, however, is not :, very flourishing, owing 'mainly to the ins t-ro<luction of the electric cars. Clothing trade (factories): A lot of overtime'has been worlced'during the month, and occuiiieiT, complain of the scarcity of oxpei'i; e enced machinists. Some of tiio lactorief iiave closcd down during the holidays and tlu _ mt.ervenmg days. This has been the pi-uc-I tice for some rears.

' Shirtmnking.very .liusy,• and. a consiclevstfilc amount of overt-imo.-has been worked dui/ng the mouth. ,Some'; good . female msronhU 'are., wanted. ' : - Oapniakiiig also very busy. ' ' ' , Tailoring (order): All workrooms have keen very busy and hiirdpushed to'compl-jte • hums before the holiday season.; Employers complain of difficulty ■in obtaining good male operatives. . ~ .Dressmaking and millinerv Keen' very.;busy, and a lot' of,' ojertnne iw*! been < worked; • Overtime" permits have .:oen refused in many cases, : on accoxit iif • one workers having worked the full nun oer 01 nights allowed by the Factories Act. Woollen-milling: All hands have been fuilv employed, and in the hosiery knitting and weaving departments there are riwanwcs female workers. • .' L'rinting and hook-binding trades: (Juite up. to ■ the'normal; there are openings for several, Jirst-class compositors. , ■ Grocery trade (retail): This J, rade nahl-ccil exceedingly busy, anil difficulty his lets')- ex-perienced-in coping--with the large Uirissrins orders. - ■ ■ ■ ; ' Unskilled labour: Twenty-five men weic assisted to Government and pnvite wtrk during the month, fifteen : being !:ni;ile, una ten married men'with thirty dependents. a number of unemployed have passed tlivo:i"i Christ-church 1 en' .route for 'Hanks J cinuMila for, grass-seeding operations. Wor.c in the country districts is plentiful. V dunedin. Almost - all classes' of' .the busies 'community seem to-be satisfied v.ith the trade done during the past' month. Money has been fairlv plentiful, and has been circulated freely. .. J'ossibly at no time 111 the history of tiie city have shopkeepers had a better turnover than during the. late holiday soason. '. 'Inquiries'- mado',. amongst those most competent to judge, confirm the opinion_t-hat all are satisfied with tho result. ,Ouo.of tlio main; factors>in - bringing about ■ this .prosperous state .of: .affairs, is that the. workers hiive had ft good steady season, aiid in many avenues of employment • a lot of extra tunc has been - worked' in completing orders. Jn many, instances it ,lias been found impossible to complete orders,. and a large quantity of work linsjn consequence to stand over until the beginning of tho new year. Hie.. citect. df t.his.-has been'that-good wages liavo been eanied by r all indoor opcrntivos,. whilst those ehiployedoutdoors haro. : ,been fortunate nv experiencing good weather,. and have made excellent' time. •Agricultural. implement; workers .arc trell satisfied with .the output 'this season; hands have' been employedconstantly, and" there has been iio scarcity of employment right-up to the • holidays. '' .Carpenters and joiners are hiiay ;■ no. workmen idle. . Inquiries, liavo been made during the:montli for tradesmen, hut nohe-were available. Bricklayers were fully employed;- ; -and '. the prospect. seems good eiurfi<*h to hazard the opinion that- there will: be : very .little idle time this side of the winter season; ■' .< ... • Confectionery and 1 preserving: Throughout tlio. month'there has been a 'first-class .output ■of commodities, but owing to a shortage of : labour a great: quantity of overtime has : been-worked-in'these factories. • .Sash-, and door factories.: . All mills, have been'working full time, and, may bo said to be fairly busy, though tlio output'was not so .good'as'during'tho earlier portion of the year.': "■'.- -. ' '/-■•••' " : Country• workers. are. still in good demand, , arid.;, various l .openings can be found for ex- ; porienced hands in almost every line. Shearing-. is, now 'in. full',swing,-and competent • workers, can, easily find sheds. '■ Unskilled labour: During the month there [ has been very little demand; forj this class | of worker.- As-a'matter. of 'fact/'thoro docs I hot exist any treason why any .man .who can , use a .pick and shovel should be unemployed , at the present' time, provided tliht those who , are in .quest- of employment, are. prepared to go'to-'tho'country. It- has boon - noticeable j- (luringltlie past, fov<"months that self-reliance I is becomijig. more manifest among'this class j of worker,, but; • unfortunately - there, are ;■ pthorq who do not seem to have the natural , capacity to'-assist; themselves to- any' extent-. | and •. as.- a'-.'cbnseqtfence• are'often unemployed when'work ; 'is,-plentiful/- - - '.- |, During ' the month the-, number., of applij cants• for .assistanco ..was fifty..as. apainst' 123 during' tho Corresponding period of last year. • Forty-ono" were' sent to employment.