LABOR

Evening Star, Issue 14316, 15 March 1910, Page 8

LABOR

AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT. Repotts received on trade :'iid labor conditions during the month of February are, generally sneaking, very satisfactory (reports the bailor Join mil concerning Dunedin). Applicant for employment have been very few, and there appears to have been ;m dearth of work. riieic has, however, lieett a continuous f.p.'-ll of veiy dry, l.i.t weather. Whilst to good chopping tr.tde and seasonable to harves'.ini;. the drought, loneeqner.t thereon has hf.d a. v.'iv deterrent effect on crops and stock, which will le .seriously felt by agriculturists, farnieru. and stock dealers. Farmers have been compelled to harvestearly, which will tend to create a surplus of labor e.iiiirr thin vear than usual. Reports from the retail trades are, on the whole, very favorable. Butchers and gri'cers state that steady business has been ilone in necessaries, but there is evidently very little surplus cash available for htximes. The drapery fialcs ate supposed to account for this. Diapers report business as very satisfactory, and quite as good as that expeiicneed in the corresponding period of laist year. In the boot trade only business iu light footwear is reported. On account of tie .Easter holidays ,-hopkcc-pers generally appear sarguine of good business being clone right through the ensuing month. As to unskilled labor, the journal reports:—Owing to the harvesting season being in full swing there have been very few applicants for pick-and-shovel work. This is fortunate in view of the fact that all Government works are now full-handed. As tho harvesting finishes, the usual influx into the City will no doubt occur, but it is to be hoped that these workers will endeavor to secure further work, such as rabbiting, etc.. in the country, as there is yen little prospect of their getting work should they come to the towt:s. There are vacancies for rock-drillers who are used to machines. During the month 132 men v ere assisted to employment, 15 going to Government and 117 to private work. Of the latter, tuenty-four were farm laborers, and the balance mainly harvesting hands. The total number of co-operative workers employed by the Government is, according to latest returns, 3,sssartisans and laborers, and. 826 are employed on roads, making a total of 4,38.1. The men on railway works are distributed as follow:—Stratford: Ongaruhe. 516, North Auckland 444. Ka wakawaGrahamstown 371, flisborne-Rotorua 254, Midland 592, Orevmouth-Point • Elizabeth 288, ■ Catiin.3 462, West port-Inangaluu 80, Ngahere-Blackbali' 103.