THE LABOUR MARKET.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14976, 23 April 1909, Page 4

THE LABOUR MARKET.

CONDITIONS IN CANTERBURY,

The "Labour Journal” for April supplies the following information in regard to the labour conditions in Canterbury for tho month of March : _ There was an improvement in several lines of business since tho previous month. Tho meat-freezing and allied trades, such as meat-preserving and rellmongory, were reported to he having the busiest season on record. Stock in good condition was coming to hand freely. Some of the works were being retarded through scarcity of butchers, but tho others were being worked up to their full capacity. There was a slight improvement in tho building trade. Cottage-building, which fell off so much, appeared to bo picking up a little, though there was very little speculative building going on. Tho retail trades had improved, and inquiries showed that in the majority of trades there was very little difference in tho volume of business at present being done from that of the corresponding period of last year. In some instances it was reported that tho casli trade was fully 40 per cent higher than during the same period of last year, although the actual volume of trade was slightly less. The seasonal drapery sales were all practically over, . and winter goods in great varieties were being displayed in all the shop-windows and showrooms. Large stocks had been secured in anticipation of a good season’s trade, and shopkeepers appeared to be very hopeful. In the building trades, carpentering and joinery had improved slightly since the previous report, although trade was still slack and there was a fairly large number of tradesmen out of work; as several jobs would be commenced shortly, there was reason to believe that the number of unemployed would bo decreased, though it was extremely improbable that there would be anything like sufficient work to absorb the whole of tho labour available. Bricklaying was also slack, and there were a few men out of work, but it was probable that there would be sufficient work in hand in the course of a few weeks to provide employment for those at present idle. Stonemasonry was quieter than it had been for somo considerable time, and there was nothing to indicate improvement. Plastering was rather slacker than during the pre-. vious month, and tho prospects for this class of tradesmen were not bright. Plumbing was quiet, and there were no signs of an improvement. Tinsmithing had fallen off a little since tho previous report, though the hands appeared to be making full time. In woodworking trades, sawmilling was slack; there was i>ractically no change in this branch since the previous report, and no immediate improvement was expected. Boxmaking was fairly busy, all hands being fully employed. Coopering was busy. In wood-turning and carving, there was no change since the previous report; trade was fairly busy, and the hands were all fully employed. The furniture trade showed a docided improvement since the previous month; .most of tho factories had quite as much work as they could get through in the ordinary working hours. Upliolstcr- •' ; was fairly busy, all hands being ludy employed. Coachbuilding and motor-car body building, painting, and repairing were busy, and likely to continue so for somo time.

In tho iron trades, agricultural implement making was still slack; the men, however, were putting in fair time, making up stock in anticipation of future orders, which would probably bo forthcoming as soon as tho farmers got their harvesting and threshing completed. General engineering was quiet. Boilermaking was very quiet; this was reported to bo the slackest season experienced for several years. Rangemaking and iron and brass moulding were also quiet. Boot and shoo manufacturing had improved slightly since tho provious month, though it was still quiet, and some of the hands were not making full time. There wero also a few tradesmen out of employment, with no immediate prospect of getting work. Boot-repairing was fairly busy. Saddlery and harnessmaking wns rather slack. Leather-bag and portmanteau making continued fairly busy. Printing, lithographing and bookbinding were all fairly busy, and there was very little if any unemployment in those trades. Cardboard-box making was quiet, but the hands were making full time. In regard to meat-freezing and slaughtering, all the works in the district wero exceptionally busy; stock

was coming to hand freely, and the only difficulty employers had to contend with was a shortage of butchers. Meat-preserving was also busy. Fellmongery had improved since the previous month, and was now busy; in fact, all trades directly connected with tho freezing industry were very busy. Dressmaking, millinery and hosiery fairly well maintained their trade, but the volume had not been up to that for tho corresponding month of last year. In tailoring (factories), tho majority reported having experienced a fair month; overtime was being worked in a number of factories. The tailoring trade (order work) was fairly good, but there wero a few..journeymen out of employment. Bicycle-building had fallen off a little, which was usual at this season ; the repair trade, however, was sufficiently busy to keep tho hands fully employed. "The drapery trade had improved since the previous month, and a satisfactory class of business was prevailing. It was noticeable in somo of the larger houses that a considerably greater cash trade was being done now than at this period of last year, though the volume of trade was slightly less. Tile grocery trade was fairly busy, though there wero complaints of competition being fairly keen. The boot and shoe retail trade was fairly busy, considering the dry weather. The weather had been very good for the completion of harvesting. Threshing was now in full swing. There was a fair demand for ploughmen and other farm hands. In brushmaking, tho stock of paint brushes was mounting up owing to building operations being somewhat slack; compared with last quarter the demand for brush goods generally showed a slight improvement, with a fair average sale in brooms : all hands were constantly employed during the month. Rattan and wicker workers were fairly busy. Confectionery and biscuitmaking trades were busy, and showed considerable improvement, since the previous month. The woollen mills were fairly busy; mills working full time. There had been a fairly steady stream of callers at the “ unemployed” counter of the Labour Bureau, and many were waiting about town till a further order for men for railway work came to hand. During the month 203 men wore assisted to employment, comprising the following:—Blacksmiths, carpenters, drivers, farm hands, rockdrill men and labourers. Of these, thirty-five were married, with seventysix dependants, and 168 were single men.