THE LABOUR MARKET

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14579, 19 July 1909, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE LABOUR MARKET

The Journal of the Department of Labour for July has I he following reports on the condition of the labour market :— ■ _ DVNEUiN. Trade in the .'ivy for the first, fortnight of (lis month was excellent, d,.e no doubt to the influx of visitors to the winter show. Unfortunately, these o-juli-tion;. were not maintained; and d'.:r ; .ng the lattor half or tho month trade h:-s feiien below normal. This is particularly noticeable in tha di-apery and textilebranches, and has forced shopkeepers, in oriler to stimulate business, to start thir winter sale* sightly earlier than usual, (k----cimiravs in other trades give brighter ic-l»n-ls; Kit, on the whole, trade for the month has not been up to the average <i[ the corresponding period in pievioas years. The building and iron trades <sI ipccially have been very dull, ami a large number of workers lisvo been rendered i.lli. Fortunately, then- is every indication that conditions will soon brighten up. as, although in the building trades conditions are very dull, employers do not anticipate a continued depression. Inquiries from architects disclose the fact that there is a considerable amount of work in preparation, htii, property-owners prefer to wait till early spring before authorising the work to ho put in band. It is expected that bricklaying and carpentering will be. in their normal state by the end of July or early in Augivsf, and a corresponding change tor the bettor in kindred trades will follow as the work becomes ready. Strenuous efforts have been made to provide work for iho large number of unemployed. The City Council, Harbour Board, and Drainage Hoard have given the department their active and practical assistance to this end, which, together with the cii'ip'toymenl provided on Government works, has. within the past fortnight alone, given work to 16/ men. The prompt assistance given by the local bodies i; highly commendable, and its effect will he a brightening of trade conditions by pulling an effectual stop to an otherwise certain shim p. Building trades are very slack, ar.d a large number of men are out of work There will be no improvement for ihe next few weeks, as a great deal of anticipated work will not'be ;put in hand until tho weather conditions improve. These conditions apply to the v.ho'.s of ihe building trade-, lirieklaying—Only one building of ajiy size is being erected, but there is a little jobbing, being done; it is estimated tint fully 59 per cent, of operatives in this trade are out of employment. Plumbing trade is quieter now than it has Ixmmi for tho past few years, and employers are put io coiiside.ral'lo trouble.in keeping thoir hands fully employed: there are at least six n.op out of employment. Painting is very slack indeed: there are only two firms who have any work' on hand that, may he doomed to bo steady, and they arc at iprc-ent full-handed; other firms tire practically at a standstill. Plastering very ddl, and likely to continue so for noine time: from eight to 10 men are out of employment. Stonemasons: Trade is in a very had way indeed, with no prospect of an immediate revival. _ Woodworking trades show no alteration since last report, although iiade may fairly be said to lie on the rjuict side. So far, there has been no necessity to shortsn hands, and employers are hopeful of trade brightening up in the n:ar future. These remarks also apply to furniture trade and wood-turning. Kngiueoriiig: Agricultural implement anil ■ range-making arc fairly satisfactory, and all hands are kept constantly employed though, us is customary at this period' of the year, factories arc working shorter liot'.b than in the summer months: several men have applied during the month for employment, but no openings exist. lioilerma Icing has been, except in one or two cases, decidedly dull, and several trades-n-.en are out of employment. Brass and j copper smithing has experienced a decided, i decline, more particularly in the copper- j smithing brincb, and several hands have ' •bern dispensed with; emnlovers do not; anticipate any improvement within .the ■ next few weeks. (ion-rial enginering: j With the exception of one or two firms, j trade fti! continues to be very dull, and i several men are still unemployed. Iron | and bwss moulding li<i» bsen very dull; ! the slight improvement reported last month ' was of short duration, and the conditions i new prevailing are anything but oucouragirt£; several hands hare k-tn discharged, •

and in the case of some firms these cmployed are- on short lime. Cycling and Motor Trades: Business in the cycle line lias be#n very quiet, indeed, no doubt due to this being the off season ' for the trade; in the motor line employers report that fair business has been done, j Leather Trades: Boot making (factories) continue to hs very brisk, a:.d the only complaint made by employers is of tho I dearth of machinists; so far as can bo a-ccv-i laincd, there are.no journeymen out of cm- ' ploymeul. Bootmaking (shops): Trade has j been satisfactory, tlioiigh in lioms cases employers eonrolahi that money is still in- ' dined to be rather tight. Saddlery and | harness-making has bu'n very satisfactory, 1 al hands having been constantly employed, irral, as far as is known, there are no ; journeymen out of employment; considerj ing that the past month is usually looked i upon as king a quiet one in this trade, ; the conditions prevailing are decidedly cu- ! coiiraging. ; Printing Trades: Bookbinding ha.s been ' satisfactory, though in cue or two iiii ela.nr-0-s it has jicen a little quieter than '. during the previous months; all bands are i being kept employed. Printing: There is j little or no alteration to report, and t-hcro ! still remain a few compositors on the ein- ! ployment book of the union. • Tiitsmithiiiig, etc.: The period under re- ! view has been the wor.se experienced in ■ this trade for many years. Several .-hops ; are working short time, and in some cases I workman are compiled to take holidays. | Coacliwoi'lteis: This is the slack period I in the trade, but it compares favourably ! with the corresponding period of fonner j years. There is u- fair amount of jobbing i work in hand, but a scarcity of new work". ' From six to eight journ.eyjron are idle. • Meat freezing is isatis-faclory, and all fac- ' tories are in full swing: labour, however, ■ is plentiful, and there are vo openings for ' any more hands. Tanning and fell'mongery | fairlv brisk, .and hands are kept fully emI ployed. j Agricultural op-rations: Tho unsettled I w-eaither experienced in the past few weeks ! has interfered with operstiens. There have i been a .fair number of applicants for work, ' bus, for the reason stated, very few have . been placed. | Mining (coal): Contrary ro expectations, | this trade is not as britk as it should lie, j though in some- myies coirtant woTk is tho ! rule. In of the larsost mines there , has hitherto lwe-n a difficulty in obtaining | a _ sufficient number of hands durimg tho . winter season: this winter ample labour is offering, and a few hand's are awaiting | etnploymont. ! Unskilled lalbour: The n-umlsor of applij carts for work during the month has bectn ! abnormal, but, tho opportune assistance j rendered by tho City Council and other i local governing todies has enabled the doj partimcf. to fend no less than ,209 .men to j work. Through the. medium of this office ] a careful discrimination has Ikpii effected j in distrihit.Mi'g the work to those hiving j dependants, and any cases of hardship 'have : been remedied at once. j Kepori-s from the eotratrv are not verv j iissurirwr. this being the slackest time of the I j-Mi-, The bu.-hfclling work- at "Waitofara offered by the Covernmetit has drawn no applications from this quarter, and may be taken as indicating that the mills in th,-> tinfer districts here are fairly busy. It is to be expected that there will be a surplus of labour here for the next eight, i or nine weeks, when the advent of siu-iif will _orj-n out the usual .wmies of labour outside of the towns, and the oresent congestion will disappear. OAMAHU. Reports from tho local traders are still very satisfactory. Although some complain that money is very scarce, others state that they find it no" tighter than is usual at this time of the year. All appear to be doing a fair amount of business, and in one or two instances the returns up to the middle of the month were exceptionally good. The usual slackening off in the dairy factories and the meat work* may be felt later on. but- ro far it is not noticeable, and it is quite evident, that Oainaru has escaped the depression so keenly felt in the larger centres. No doubt ibis is due to the successful operations in Ihe dairying and farming industries. The mild weather and the ahence of .severe frosts so noticeable last; season have enabled the farmers to make excellent progreei with tho ploughing and -owing, very large areas of winter wheat having already been put in. 'There is an I increase in the number of applications for employment this monlh. but no more than was expected, as it is the off sea-on for employment in the country, and unless a, man is a ploughman his chance cf wcrk is email. Five men have bran placed in suitable situations in the district during the month. Building trades are dull generally, with very littlo prospect of improvement until the winter is over. Carpentry and joinery.—The country work still keeps up but- very little is being done in the town. Painting has slightly improved this month, and several employers report going fullhandetl. Plastering "is veryquiet. Plumbing and sjasfitting is very busy; all hands working full time and woik coming in freely. Stoueniasonry fairly busy; all I hand* kept employed. ! Weed-working Trades: Cabinetmakiiug and Upholsicring.-Trade still good; all hands employed. Sash and door factories show an inclination to slacken off; trade was good up to the middle of the month, but has not been so bright for the past fortnight. —Engineering Trades.—Agricultural im- ! plemcni-making loss brisk than last month, j but no hands are reported out cf work. '. Fitting and turning very quiet, but all J hands are kepi employed. Iron and brass j moulding: Very little doing, and the prusI peel for the winter is not encouraging;. • Leather Trades: Bootmaking (factories). [ Improved since last month: a considerable ! amount of overtime was worked in the j early [tart of ihe month, but trade has not been quite so busy towards the end. Repair shops are busy, with every prospect of continuing so. Saddlery and harnessinaking still keep busy, and there is every indication of plenty of work during the winter. Clothing Trades: Dressmaking and mil.linery—An improvement is shown in the millinery since last month, and trade iti both lines is very satisfactory. Shirtmakiiig very busy; all hands are kept employed, but no overtime is lwihg worked. Tailoring (order) trade is quieter than it was last month, but. most of tlio hands are | kept employed. Woollen-milling very i busy: a considerable amount of overtime has been worked through the month; employers report a difficulty in supplying the demand. Retail Trades: Clothing trade is quiet but steady, and shows no change silica last month. Boots—Good business is rejijorloc'l. Drapery—Business good up to the middle of the month, but a falling-olf has been noticed towards the end. Groceries—Fair business, being done.; no change since last month. Printing trades slightly improved since last month; all hands employed. Mcat-freez-ing, cf-j.: Tanning, currying, and fellmoiigcrip-g—All hands are kept busy, but tlie slack season i, expected shortly. Slaughtering, freezing, and preyerving—About, three-quarter time being put in. The works expect to close down about the eml of August. It is estimated that aiiout 40,000 carcases over last season's output have been put through. Coaohbuilding and IMaeksmitliin-j: All branches of trade are very quiet; no improvement on last month. A few haivds are out of employment, and the trade is not likely to improve until about Septemk-r, Cycle and motor trades are ven-y dull, and not expected to improve for some months to come. Agricultural Operations: Farming, dairying', etc.—Tho dairy industry is slackening off for the winter season, and farming is confined practically to ploughing and | sowing. A very large area of wheat has I already been iow.n, the mild weather having I assisted the farmers to get on with the j work. Winter feed is nportcil as very 1 plentiful, arjtl stock is said to be in splan- ' did condition. ! Unskilled Labour: Eight single and four ! married men have applied for employment ; during tho period. Five single n-.en have i been placed in suitabb work in the dis- : t-riet. \ WOMBN'S EMI'LYOMEXT BUREAU. | The officer in charge of the Dunedin ■ Women's Employment Bureau reports as ! follows: — i This is the thill season of the year, and I it is evidenced by the falling-oii to a cerj tain extent of tho number of applications j trout employers. Since the closing of the , winter Agricultural and Pastoral show, I when the country visitors to town have left I for their homes, and the call for domestics I and other female workers has quietened i down, quite a jiumber of waitresses and > ho-.ijemaids have been dispensed with. To ; find employment for the;e girls is very ' difficult, as tlicy decidedly object to go into • private employment, and there is pracj tic-ally littlo or no demand for their services I in hotels at the present time. For theI jieriod ending the 2Ctli inst. 99 applications i wel - 0 received from ampksycrs .and 78 from I assistants. Forty-one were placed in era- ! ployment—namely, 11 married and 30single ■ women, as per list appended. Don't forget WOLFE'S is the real original " SCU.WUTa.