UNSKILLED LABORS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVI, Issue 117, 15 May 1912, Page 3

UNSKILLED LABORS.

'PROSPECTS FOR WINTER. ; / Reporting m the Labor Journal on the conditions of employment: an& trade, the Wellington ' office states that the number of men applying for employment shows an increasing tendency. .;■■."' . ..i • . ■•. ■'.'. ■.•;. \ ':. ■ :::"- . "With the slackening of farmoperations there has been the 'usu'aimigratioh to Wellington,; especially from the South Island, and, - although the department has had: %o special difficulty in meeting the wants \ of. applicants, /it is evident, that wjitlv the approach of winter the applica^ . tions for work will consideraoly increase.1 As to the prospects- for the winter season, the present indications . show that skilled tradesmen should be /. fairly well employed,, > and the chief difficulty will be to place men. who are* unskilled and genera! laborers. So: much time is losti by these men owing to _ weather conditions that inucb' hardship is imposed upon them by reason of decreased earnings.- Then, too, employers and' contractors generally hold, over their contracts for the favorable weather conditions ruling in the spring and summer months. Howeyery it is expected that with the putting in. hand of the foundations of the new Parliamentary Buildings a good deal of employment will be offei*ing: for unskilled laborers, and preference for this work will, oi course, be given to, local married men. The- co-operative works now in progi*ess in the Stratford, Gis- : borne, Nelson, and Marlbbrougb. disr tricts should provide for other cases- ■ where the men are able to leave the towns. "Duing the period employment has. been found for. 159 men. (59^married 100 single), having- 186 dejfelfdenta. , The majoHty-^-106-^-were sent- i to = . pr.if ale/ emplo^fiient', and :53 t<t Govei-nment* works.; . Tho^ f^ssisled •'; comprised; besides ' laterersj^^bnckr ■■'■■'.■ .layers, carpenters,; clerks, fa-mi handsp:. hbtfe! hstridsv miners, ■an^f^lastetersi;. Of those assisted, 60.> were, from : tlie • North Island, 53 from Great Britain, 36 from the South IslaiQd-; 7 from tie Commonwealth,; and 3 from elsewhere. There were -also five wives' assisted to join their husbands in the country districts;"; ? ';"; '.."' ..■:.'-':' '.{'■■';■. ' Elsewhere 'the reports, are quite, nopeful of a good winter. Only ;in Dunedin is there'so far much uTiemplbymeniv Tne Labor Union reports that" there arei about fifty men in need .of;-worlc.'~-.y'; :'.;';'.;"- :'; .'" ■' ;.,■■ ■ .'..■'..■ ■