MARKED INCREASE

Evening Post, Issue 82, 6 April 1936, Page 15

MARKED INCREASE

BUILDING ACTIVITY

RETURNS FOR 1934-35

Increases of more than 50 per cent, are shown in each of the salient features of building activity of the Dominion in the financial year 1934-3S, compare with the returns for 1933-34. Wellington led Auckland' in ths volume of building done, and of the 6852 persons finding/ employment in the industry during the year these two centres claimed 3293, or 48 per cent. The figures are issued by the Census and Statistics Office.

The statistics of building and construction do not include the construe- ■ tion of railways, roads, streets, bridges, wharves, buildings, etc., by the Government or by local authorities, except where, in the case of bridges, wharves, buildings, and other similar constructions, the work has been carried out by contract. The value of building permits issued in boroughs, town districts, and certain suburban counties and road districts during the year ended March 31, 1935, was £2,742,495 for new work, and £901,193 for alterations and additions to existing premises, compared with work amounting to £3,560,181. and £931,172 respectively actually done throughout the, Dominion by concerns furnishing returns. The total payments on account of . materials (including payments to subcontractors) aggregated £3,315,018 in 1934-35, showing an increase of £1,607,286, or 94 per cent., as compared with the corresponding figure in 1933----34 (£1,7,07,732). The table of comparison is:— Increase 1933-.14.- 1334-35. Percent. Establishments .. 829 1.319 59.1 ■ Persons engaged 4,439 6,852 03.7 •■ £ £ ' Salaries & wages 712,399 1,UT,090 fi5.2. Materials used .. 1,707,732 :i,315.018: J4.V Value of products 2,553,719 4,715,45(> $4.7 Land, plant, etc. . 550,092 559.935 i.i Of the total number of persons finding employment in the building industry (6852); 3293, or 48 per cent., are located in the Auckland and Wellington provincial, districts; As between Auckland and Wellington, the latter leads in the volume of building done during the year 1934-35. WOMEN AND GIRLS. The level of industrial employment^ for women and girls for each, of the twelve months s in 1934 was greatly in excess of that recorded for 1933. The seasonal fluctuations in employment for women and girls do not coincide) with those recorded for men and boys.f This is probably accounted for by the| fact that women and girls are not em-l ployed to any great extent in the semi-l primary industries where employment is highly seasonal. The peak of employment occurred in November, while the lowest point was in January for both the years 1933 and 1934. The Unemployment Board's .first scheme of building subsidy applied to applications received during the period June-September,' 1933; By November of that" year; the number of employees) in the industry' had doubled, and employment remained at a comparatively high; level;. : The introduction of the amended subsidy scheme in July 1934, was followed by further substantial increases, the. number of persons engaged in the industry; at. the end of the year 1934 being greater than at. any period during the precedipg three years.. , , . . '. ,