TRADE AND LABOUR.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 972, 12 November 1910, Page 9

TRADE AND LABOUR.

CONDITIONS IN WELLINGTON. The "Labour Journal" for Novembel sets out the conditions of trade and labour 'in. Wellington during the past month as follows:— "The improved conditions in the previous month have been well maintained throughout October, but the improvement has not increased in the ratio usually expected at this time of year, retailers generally stating that, although thero'has been on the • surface quite a fair tradfl done, the actual volume of business executed is below normal. Drapers and clo-

thiers are all busy with new season's stocks. Boot and shoe dealers report; fairly good business; The provision trades state business is not as good as it should be, thero being a marked fallingoff in the orders Teoeived from hotels.and establishments which cater for the travel-, ling public. With the holiday season clos« at hand, improvement is expected Reports from manufacturers are very ej> couraging. The report of the city boild. ing superintendent shows , that for ..the four weeks ended on October 19 sixty' aj* plications to erect, alter, or extend buili irigs, at an estimated total cost of <£21,452, were received by the City Council. Thie is a considerable falling-off iti the total estimated cost from that for' the previdnj four weeks, but with the work offering in. the country there is sufficient work ia sight to keep most employees busy fop. some time The immediate outlook for trade and labour conditions may, fore, be considered as very promising.,

Building Trades.—Considerable work has offered in country districts,., which, has materially assisted .in keeping .down any .surplus of labour, in this city, Bricklaying—Fair trade has. offered, ana,., with country requirements, few trader, men are idle. Caipehternig throughout. the district is fairly brisk; there ore a few men reported idle, but it is merely a matter of the weather, or choice of work keeping them unemployed. Painting, ia. still as busy as reported, last month; there has been an unsatisfied 'demand for. paperhangers, and difficulty: has been-.ex-. ptrienced in getting the work done. Plasterers—There has been. no improved ment during the month, and a few .hands are seeking work. Plumbing . and . gasfitting—All hands have been kept fully, employed. Stonemasonry—The Post Office; contract has absorbed all available trades-" men. ' '

Woodworking Trades.—Cabin-etmaHng particularly busy; good chairmakers ana upholsterers are in demand, inquiries having been made from : all parts of th« district. French-polishing is quiet, tradesmen still being out of employment),. Coopering.—Tho season is now on, and trade is very good. With respect to the engineering trades, boileriuaking is said to have greatly .im.. proved, and a demand has been created, for ironworkers and moulders. Fitting., and. turning had reached "fair," but has now fallen away and may be classe&'.as' quiet. Electrical engineering—Excellent,. several orders having been received',front, the country. Iron and brass moulding. —Work has been plentiful,'andmoulders ; have been in full employment. _ The boot factories are still very busy,; and in regard to saddlery and harness- ■ making the trade has been fairly good. - Clothing trade—Factories are very busy and considerable overtime is being worked. Woollen-milling has also continued brisk, hands having to work overtime. -.- Coachbuilding: The improvement reported last month has not been fully maintained, and the standard of business

anlicijjjted was not reached. Cycle and motor trades': A consider- . able amount of repair work has offered, " Factories are now very-busy, and with/, the advance of the season employers ara. hopeful of further-improvement. Unskilled labour: There has been a" decided decrease-in the, number, of applicants for employment, during the past month. The demand for . men locally .' has been much better : than for. some-V months past. It is to be. regretted that,tho majority of the meh.."riow applying ir arei what may be tei , med J "uhemployable'.',rr —that is, they possess neither the know-:., ledge, aptitude, nor desire for unskilled ; | heavy manual labour. The Department-' ~ has work to offer, mainly in the country, to all classcs of tradesmen and .!> /.

bourers, but the evidence' goes that there is a real demand for the ' ser-" rice's of willing workers in the city itself. Work in the' country districts is. also plentiful for bushfeilers, scrubcutters,, station ' shed hands, ! and farm hands generally. The scarcity of ; good milkers is being keenly felt by the far- •' mers this season, and quite a number can be placed at once at good wages. During the period just ended 142 married ana single men, having 143 dependents, were sent to employment, 111 being sent, to private employment, and 31 to Government work. Included amongst those av sisted were bushmen, painters, " farm,,'' hands, and labourers. : ' OTHER CENTRES. • ' Christchurch.—Trade. and labour dur« ing the past month'have been very satis-, factory'indeed. . Auckland.—The condition of trade" ii' I all branches is very satisfactory.' • Allbranches are busy. Men . are working " full time, and very few. are idle. \ Dunedin.—The labour, conditions during the month have been . generally very good, and quite up to the usual standard [for this time of'the year.