EMPLOYMENT SURVEY

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 August 1946, Page 3

EMPLOYMENT SURVEY

MINISTER REVIEWS DOMINION FIGURES

SECONDARY INDUSTRIES

(p A ) WELLINGTON, July 31. In April, 1946, secondary industries in New Zealand, other than seasonal and allied industries, were providing regular employment for .124,181 jiersons (87,988 males, 36,193 . females) in units employing two or more persons, said the Minister of Industrial Manpower, Mr McLagan, to-day. This, the first half-yearly survey carried out by - the National* Employment Service, covered more than 400,000 workers, and included all industries, except the farming, seasonal and allied industries, and a few smaller . industries not amenable to the method of survey used.. An earlier survey, covering most of the same field, revealed that females made up to 29 per cent, of the total staff in 1939, 30 per cent, in October, 1945,. and 29 per cent, in April, 1946, the decline being because’ of increased numbers of male workers being employed after demobilisation. There has been a steady increase in the total number employed, and there are indications that the secondary industries will expand further. - ■ ’ At April, employers advised that there were openings for the immediate employment of a further 5288 males and 8767 females iff such industries. Classification Details

For the purposes of the survey, secondary industry was. classified into 41 industrial groups, based on . an international code of classification. There were 9271 males and 5030 females engaged in the production, of various foods, drinks and tobacco manufacture; there were 12,478 males and 20,335 females employed in textiles, clothing, and.leather goods industries; 15,533 males and 998 females in the manufacture of building material and furnishings; 37,464 males and 3755 females in engineering and metal working; 13,242 males and 6075 females in other secondary industries.

The predominance of females in the textile?;, clothing and leather industries had an important bearing on the future of employment, ‘in New Zealand, said the Minister. This had been a rapidly expanding section of industry . In April, 1946, women comprised 62 per cent, of the total number employed, and there were vacancies for only 1083 males as against 6598 for females. This group, which employed 26 per cent, of the 124,181 persons in secondary industries. accounted for 55 per cent, of the 14,055 vacancies, indicating a much greater capacity for immediate expansion than was found in any other group. Distribution of Industries Discussing the distribution of industries on a district basis,. Mr McLagan said that three-fourths of the workers in secondary industries were situated in or around Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin. This clustering of factories around only four of the population centres placed difficulties in the way of the establishment of a balanced economic and social life in other areas, and created housing and transport problems in the main cities. The tendency was for a greater proportion of female workers, to be required in .cities, increasing, the unbalance. This was brought about. by the fact that the primary industries, employing predominantly males, were necessarily confined almost entirely to rural areas.