LABOUR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3189, 13 September 1917, Page 6

LABOUR

THE DEPARTMENT'S REPORT ANOTHER WAR YEAR Tho annual report of the Department of Labour, ivliich Has presented to Parliament yesterday, states); Although considerable/ disorganisation has taken, place in trade and industry on account of tho high cost of materials, and in some cases tho difficulty in obtaining certain classes of goods for manufacturing purposes, trade generally has been very good indeed during the whole of the year under review. In the employment branch, notwithstanding the shortage in tho number of workers caused by a largo number of men being engugod on active servico, very little difficulty has been found in supplying tho needs of <>niployera who havo applied to the Department for workers. In some of the skilled trades it was found necessary to transfer workers from ono part of tho Dominion to another part where work was available, and although in many, instances employers are short-staged the position is not so acute as might have been expected. Nearly all tradesmen have heen fully employed, and it has bca found necessary to work considerable overtime in various trades. The total amount of overtime worked in factories by women and boys exceeds last year's figures, the principal increase being in connection with the hoot-mnnufacturing trade. Labouring work generally has also been plentiful. The retail traders are again reported to have had a prosperous year, and ready money has been plentiful. 'Pile replacement of male lubour by female labour reported last year lias been continued as regards employment in offices, banks, etc. Although isolated instances have occurred it lias not as .;ct been necessary to any extent to employ females at work hitherto performed exclusively by males. The position, however, is such that if present conditions regarding tho filling of reinforcement drafts each month continue it may be necessary for this to be done in the near future.

Despite many statements to the con- ' trary. the supply of farm labour was sufe iicient to meet the demand, and.at hart vest-time the Department had difficulty in finding employment for all its applii cants for this class of work. Steps are „ now being taken to enable farmers and " dwellers in the smaller towns to advise their' needs to tho various Labour Eml ployment Bureaux through the Department's local representative (the Inspector of Factories). By this means it is hoped ' that both employers and workers in the ' country districts will be assisted. Assistance, All assistance possible has been ieni dered to tho Discharged Soldiers' In- . formation Department, but returned sol- ' diers have not yet found it necessary to avail themselves to any extent of this. ' Dc-imrtnienfs services. Two hundred and ninety-three flis- ' charged soldiers have made application to the Department: 105 of these have been found employment, and 155 have been assisted by reduced fares. . • ,' Tho number assisted through the Men s l Employment Bureaux during the past vear (including 500 assisted by reduced i'ares)' shows, a decrease on last years figures of 3012. Of the amount of .£419 repayable by workers for fares advanced, j:".*! had been collected bv March 31. from April 1, 19X6. to March 31, 1917, domestic servants and others were assist- . cd as follow :-Aucldand 476. Wellington 856, Nelson 182, Christchurch 282. Dnnel din Ml. In each town, except \\elling- - ton there' was a decrease in the -lumber : agisted. "Wellington showed an increase ■ of 50. „ . ' . . Factories. ' i The following figures, which show a ■ considerable decrense in the number of 1 factories am) persons engaged therein ' during the past two years, are evidence of the effect of the withdrawal from ■ civil employment of a large number of ; men for "defence purposes-.— Factories. Workers. ; 1913-14 13,469. 87,517 1914-15 13,937 83,812 1915-16 13,214 .83,011 1916-17 - 12,455. , 78,183 Greatlv increased overtime has been necessary in factories on-account of the decrease in the .number of workers and the increase of work in many trades. The total orertime viorked by females and" boys in the fifteen principal towns of the Dominion amounted to iW,dii hours", as against 432,250 hours worked during the previous year. Workers'. Dwellings. The number of workers' dwellings erected during sine year was sixty-five.; Of this number thirty-seven were m the course of erection on March 31, 191b. Owiri" to the largely increased cost ot building material and the difficulty experienced in obtaining tenders at a reasonable figure, it was found necessary to considerably curtail the programme which was laid down at the beginning of the year; in many instances the tenders received v;efre so high as to be quite prohibitive, 'and it was deemed unwise in the interests of the applicants themselves to accept . them and erect the dwellings. Whereas two or three years I a"0 a four-roomed dwelling in wood cost I-about .£360 and a. five-roomed dwelling about MbO, the cost of similar houses ; at the present tima would bo about £4M> and £5W respectively; consequently only twenty-eight dwellings were erected instead of 100, as arranged for in the ori"inal programme. 'Since March <il, Uli (Fn addition to eleven i houses in course - of erection at that- date) arrangements have been made fior the erection of twelve more dwellings. OS these, three are for Wellington (Petone), three for Masterton, four for New Plymouth, and two for Patea. There is still a large demand for workers' dwellings, especially in the Wellington district. The i board will, however, as in the past, exercise care, and only build when the cost is reasonable. A dwelling ,was. purchased at Eilbirnie, Wellington, which was chosen by an approved applicant and'inspected by an officer of the Department, w;ho reported *hat it was. suitable for a. worker's dwelling. . The work of the Department in connection with the collection of rents and instalments shows a very satisfactory result, especially wheu the tact is taken into consideration that all classes of. the community find it increasingly difficult owing to tho abnormal conditions existing at the present time to make both . ends meet. Tho following tab o for the , 1 last three years will show clearly the im- , provenient mado in the reduction of ai- , rcars:_ Average ! Arrears per j Dwellings. Arrears. Dwelling. , £ s. d. £b. d. . March 31,1915... 471 1,21511 5 311 8 , '■ March 31,1916... 553 ,2,1 2 8 - 5 8 , March 31,1917... 619 1,013.11 11 112 9 i As in former vears, a considerable sum ] was paid off the" arrears during the early , part of April. 1 The Workers Dwellings Board has de- , cided on a policy which has for its ob- i iect the assisting of purchasers who have 1 joined the Expeditionary Forces, and , relieving them or their dependants of tho payment of such portion of the instal- j ment as represents a repayment of prin- ( cipal, and accepting a rent comprising : only interest at tho rate of 5 per cent. ; , on the balanco of purchaso money ow-; j ing ut tho date of enlistment, together j with such an amount as will cover the insurance premium on tho dwelling. This I concession has been taken advantage of | , by a number of purchasers and been j <■ much appreciated.