LABOUR MARKET.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17290, 4 October 1916, Page 9

LABOUR MARKET.

' ? ; : REPORT FOR SEPTEMBER. ALL ROUND IMPROVEMENT. •'. The report for. September of the Ohristeturchl office of the Government Labour Bureau is ag followB: \ .This month's trade shows an improvement on the preceding month, tho most marked improvement being shown in the building and allied trades, as all hands are now fully employed. Agricultural-implement making also; shows a striking improvement white engineering and allied trades also report, au improvement, i Furniture trades again af« reporting & very busy. season. Thj» clothing trades, dressmaking, blouso and tailoring >tk report better trade. The retail trades' report a satisfactory, month, the volume of business being quite equal to' 'the corresponding, month of last year. ,', Building ' Trades.—Bricklaying—Trade .is good,' ahimp'rovoraent'on last month. Carpentry and 'Joicery—Considerably improved, . and all hands are frilly employed. Painting —Trado is good, rill,, hands being busy on carriage and. mstor work. Plastering—Good, all hands employed, an improvement on previous month. Plumbing and Gasfitting— Tradfeis fair; ;a slight improvement. Stonemasonry'is reported good, all hands being temployed. .'J - Voftjfrffldkg: Trades.—Boxrnaking—Trade lWflod.-. ill hands employed. Cabinetmakins aril upholstering—Trade is reported as very good.Bome factories being unable to complete orders... Coopering is still very busy. Sash and: door factories report a decided improvement, .in trade, .and prospects are good. Sawmilling- it reported as fair. Woodturning, etc.—This trade is quiet. , Engineering Trades.—Agricultural-imple-■.jnerit'.making is very.busy, all hands being flllv. employed. and a great improvement reiSOrAifl. iVMlermaking—Trado is good, all fciarfu ajgpioyed. Brass and Copper-

Smithing—Trade.very busy, overtime being still worked,-and. good men can bo placed. Electrical Engineering—Tejy.bttey, can place experienced men. . Fitting and Turning—Very busy, an improvement on last month, can place good men. Iron and Brass Mouldingvery busy, all hands employed, can place men. Rnngcinaking—A very marked improveonnt in this trade over last month.

Leather Trades.—Bootrnaldng (factorieiO— Tory busy, retur-13 ahead of corresponding month of last year. Bootmaking (repair shops)—Busy, but not equal to last month's trado..,. Saddlery-and' -Harness Making—An improvement iu local trade, while' military work is still'being done. '•; Clothing Trades.—Dressmaking and Millinery—Dressmaking is reported to be busy, the busy season now being in full swing. Jlillinery also is very busy. Shirtmaking—Still working to full capacity of factories. Tailoring (factories) —Very busy; shortage of labour still felt. Tailoring (order)—very busy, some shops working. overtime. "Woollen-mill-ing—Mils at;o -working .to .fulL, capacity.. ''Retail. Trades.—Clothing "is reported ' aB. good. Boots, show a slight falling off on prcvidua month's returns." The drapery trade is reported to bo natisfactory, considering the loss of new shipments. In groceries,, business is said to h normal, but money somewhat scarcer.

Printing Trades.—Tho bookbinding trade is improving towards the end of tho month, and is now busy. Printing has also improved, and is now 'busy.- '.'- Meat-Freezing, etc.—Tanning, Currying,and Fellmongery—Tanneries are- still very Trusy. Fellmongery. somewhat slower. ■ Slaughtering Freezing, and Preserving—v7ork3 .' closed down, season ended.

Coachbuilding Trades.—Blacksmithing is slightly better than last month.- Coach, Carriage, and -TTamcar Building—Trade is only moderate, very little new work being done. Repairs fairly busy. , ; Cycle and Motor. some overtimo is being worked, new goods aro selling freely; repairs good. . Agricultural Operations.—Farming, Dairying, etc. Thero have, been a few inquiries for farm hands, but 'suitable single men are nob easy to secure at rates offered. Miscellaneous.—Brush factories report steady business and employment. Tinsmitbing is fair. Galvanizing is somewhat slower. Confectionery and Biscuit-mak. ing aro Very busy working to full capacity., The toy trado has now taken up for-Christ-mas /trade.

Unskilled Labour.—Bricklayers and builders', labourers aro fully employed, and a few good men could be placed. Quarrymen are busy. Outside labour has been weil empliyed during the past month. I ! wiug- the month 24 men and 253 single men with 60 dependents were assisted to employment, 22 :o Government and 25 to private work.