THE LABOUR MARKET.

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 January 1909, Page 4

THE LABOUR MARKET.

I'KOBLEM NOT SERIOUS IN AUCKLAND. [ 15V TKI.KUIIAI’H —PER PRESS ASSOCI.II lON.J AUCKLAND, This Dav.

On King interviewed by a Star reporter, Mr. J. Shanaghan, oflker-in-charge of the Auckland Labour Department, said that he did not regard the Labour problem as at all serious, business in Auckland being good, and most of the trades fairly brisk. Referring to the arrival <d so many immigrants, Mr Shanaghan said he did not anticipate (hat any dilliculty would arise in eventually settling them in positions. “A glance at the list sent to tile Immigration Officer, is interesting,” said Mr Shanaghan. "Here yon have the names of those coming (•> Auckland. The first <m the list is a housewife having no capital. She came to join her husband. The next is a farmer with capita! amounting to £2OO. the next is a draper, who is authorised from New Zealand, which means that he comes !<■ a position ; then follows a domestic servant with capital amounting to £5; a farmer; a dairyman with £25; an authorised labourer; next a farm labourer, his wife, three grown-up sons and four .'"linger children; a domestic servant, with £8: three sisters, aged 22, 17, and 15. coming as domestics; a housewife with a grown-up son and two daughters, coming out to join her husband; another housewife with £150; a domestic with £2; a farmer with £3O; a draper (authorised); a farmer with £SO; a harnessniakcr (authorised); a farm labourer with £25; a farmer with £100; another farmer with £llo—and so on. The position in regard to the demand for domestic servants is altogether different, and on enquiries hcing made at the < iovci nmeiit Women's Employment Bureau, the odicer-io charge (Miss Morrison) stated that the demand for domestic servants, hons--d"iilde t he available supplv. The greatest trouble is experienced. Miss Morrison says, in finding girls willing info homes ;ii w/n.vs ;jf from IDs to 15s per week. The domestie servants arriving from the Old Country. Miss Morriv.n staled, were a

t *•:»llv good ' I . .-tiiil the recent jtr>u ,l were I,...rprftilbk, Me < f'( dir domestics coming mil from Hiiinc, however, hav<> positions to g<> to •m arrival in Now Zealand, ;nn| since tlie opening of (ho Government Bureau in Juno lust, tinlv seven have passed throui.di lior hands. It is regrettable, slip adds, tlint tlioro aro not lust twice as !lliin , v g«Hs avail;ddc with wares offering n p to 15s per wok. and sho has numerous instances on her hooks whore ladies aro willing („ take girls with no experience into tlioir homes and (each them housework and cooking.

Asked whv girls preferred office work, and prohaldv not more than 10s nor week, on which to keen themselves Miss Morrison said that (ho girls mvferred the freedom of their evenings and also seemed to think that <dmestic work offered no onportunities for nrovemont. That was „ mistake however, since good cooks could earn from £2 10s to £3 ner week, and housekeepers from 25s to 30s wook. ]