DEPARTMENT OP LABOUR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14000, 5 September 1907, Page 11

DEPARTMENT OP LABOUR

Following is the report on tho labour market during the month of August:— Duncdin.—'lhero has been practically very little variation in cither business or : employment as compared with, last month. Traders have by means of extra' pushing been able to hold their own. The turnover for the seaEon iu-a.general way lias .not been quite bo good as'last year's, nevertheless a. good sound business is being transacted throughout the district. It i 9 also noticeable that, even in those avonues of trade where cutting prices and keen competition aro not unknown, those interested have confidence in their own ability and in the stability, of consumers, as in mare than one instance larger and more convenient premises have beon erected to meet the increase in trade. Employment during the month has been fairly satisfactory, and 'it has not been difficult to place any willing workers. As n. matter of fact, tho task is'very much eas'ior now than it was' thieo years ago, notwithstanding that at that period a very much larger number' of semfpublio works were ill progress. Agricultural implement making: Very brisk; all hands ara fully omployod, and- there aro. sufficient ordors on the book 9 to maintain this condi- ,| lion of things lor eomo considerable time to come. Building trade: In a general way things arc not nearly so brisk as they have been, and all classes of tradesmen are suffering, moro or less from scarcity of einp-oy-mont; but when it is considered tlwt during the lest financial year an • unusually largo amount of building in and about this district has gone on, it'can bj understood that it would be a very difficult matter to maintain that state of trado for any great length of time. Plasterers are not making such good timo as they did during .the past -flnco months, and somo first-class operatives . aro idle. Plumbing is fairly good for this timo of the year, and there are few men available, Bricklayers: Making good time, and all competent hands are employed at steady work. Stonemasons: Almost the whole of,the members of this trade are out- of employment, but endeavours aro being mndo to place tliem on public works. Tinsmithing trade' brisk; thero is still a demand for lads and youths. Fumitnro trade: Improvement on last month. Orders are coming in fairly freely, and all oporsvtivw aro kept going full time. Siddlery and harness-making: Trade is not good, but all competent hands are fully employed. Engineering: An improvement on'lnst month, and all firms now working full time. Bootmanufacturing very busy. Some classes'of operatives not obtainable. Clothing:manuturiug: Still plenty of orders on hand, and all'kinds of operatives are working full timo. Plenty of room for good machinists. Dressmaking and millinery: This is a slack month in these trades, but fow gocd hands aro out of work. Tailoring: Quiet. Almost all tho workers are kept going, and in some instances a little overtimo has been worked; but being a scasonablo trade, no great rush is cxpectcd at this period. Hosiery-workers: Winter orders have now been completed, and thero is not such a rush of business. Many firms aro stocktaking. Sash and door factories: There is a slight lull in this industry ; it is expected that things will brighten up shortly. Painters: Improvement on last month, though still some' hands idle! Country workers: Plenty of work. for experienced hands. Unskilled workers: The demand upon the department has not been so hoavy. this I month as was the case for the corresponding period of last year, the figures for 1906 being 175 . applicants, of whom 75 wore placed in employment, whilst this year, the nnrnbor of applications were 91, of whom 59 were placed in Government and private employment. • Oamaru. — Building trades: Carpenters, stonompsons, painters, plumbers, and plasterers quiet; several men in these trades idle. Engineering trade: Very quiet; indifferent time ,mado by tho employees. Boot trade (factories): Slack; regular hands, however, liavo' been kept on. Clothing trade (factories): Gocd; all hands fully employed. Eeiail trade (general): Very quiet. Miscellaneous: Blacksmiths, coachbiiilders, and cabinetmakers slack; full timo not undo by regular employees. The month just ended li'as been exceptionally quiet in all branches of business and trades. This is to, some extent attributable, to tho long spell of dry weather oxperionced in this district. Unskilled labour: Only two men applied for work during the month.