TRADE CONDITIONS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 18, 22 January 1913, Page 3

TRADE CONDITIONS

:. OF/ICIAL REPORT. The Labour Journal just issued states that the past month in Wellington haß been a record one for business, and mostly all the ' trades ' have been very busy— carpenters and 'plasterers being specially hard to obtain. The boilermaking and engineering trades have blbo considerably improved since last lepoFt, and the prospect of further betterment is eaid to be bright. Retail trade has been exceptionally good, and is said to have far exceeded past records. The freezing industry is also in full swing, and Btoek is plentiful. Building Trades.— Bricklaying good. Carpentry and joinery good. Painting: There has been a slight falling-off in trade, owing probably to the holidays. Plastering good. Plumbing and gasfitting good. Stonemasonry black. Woodworking Trades.— Boxmaking still busy; demand exists for boys and girls. Gabinetmaking and upholstering very busy ; there it, a shortage of good hands. Coopering good; all hands fully employed. Sash and door factories and sawmilling: Previous to the holidays trade Was fairly busy, with good prospects. Wopd'fcuming, etc.. quiet. Engineering Trades.— Boilermaking has .ehown considerable improvement on last month', and prospects are good. Brass and ddpper-smithing" : Trade very good : demand 'exists for mechanics. Electrical engineering 1 : Trade is still fair. . Fitting and turning and iron and brass moulding: Trade has improved, and prospects are good. Rangeinakittg fairly good. Leather Trades.—Bootmaking (factories and t repair shops) : Trade has been specially busy. Saddlery and harnessmaking: Trade is quite up to the'stan« dard of previous months, and all hands are fully employed. Clothing Trades.--Dressmaking and millinery — 'Workrooms have been very busy, in order to complete orders for the holidays. Shirt-making very busy ; much overtime has been worked. Tailoring (factories and order) specially busy. Woollen-milling .very good. Retail trades : Clothing, boots, and drapery : Business has been exceptionally good, and has exceeded that done at same period of previous years. Shopkeepers express themselves as Well satisfied with their turnover. Groceries : Very gotod business has been done, with money fairly free. Printing Trades.— Bookbinding and printing fairly good ; quite equal to previous years. Meat-freezing, etc.— Tanning, currying, and ■fellmongering good. Slaughtering, freezing, and preserving : Work it iv full swing in all departments. There is a shortage of hands ; stock is plentiful, and is coming in satisfactorily. [These works are now shut down]. Coachbttilding Trades.— Blacksmithing and coach, carnage, and tram car build' ing : All branches have been good, and trade has been equal to that of previous months. Cycle and motor trades very good in all branches ; sales of motor cars have been fair, ( while the ainouut of repairwork offeritig has been very satisfactory. Unskilled Labour.—- During the month employment locally has been fairly good, while -the demand, for country workers has been in excess of the supply, especially in dairy and agricultural farming. Flaxmill hands have also been in request, but, owing to the holidays approaching, men did not seem inclined to leave the city. There has been no light work offering, and many of those applying for employment have not been suited, as they' were not fit for hard work or were unused to farm work. , With the prospect of fine weather, however* haymaking and harvesting wiil provide employ-ment-for some time. During* the month a number- of recetfl ai rivals from over--56.&8 applied for employment. They comprised labourers, carpentejs and joiners, farm hamis, tailors, printers, engineers, etc.* 4nd in nearly every instance were offered situations or directed to where employment was likely to be obtained. A total of 124 men, 49 being married and 75 single with 162 dependants, were assisted to work during the period, 104 proceeding to private employment and 20 to Government works. Of this number, 48 came from the North Island, 15 from the South Isl&hd, 11 from Australia, 48 from Great Britain, and 2 from other parts. i