OUR INDUSTRIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1933, 25 February 1892, Page 18

OUR INDUSTRIES.

The details of tho census of last year as they appear piecemeal in the Gazette are always worth examining, and from time to time prove interesting as well as instructive. The tables of information with regard to manufactories are fairly full, and when we note that the amount paid in wages to the males and females employed in the 2570 factories, works, &c in New Zealand iv the year 1890 was no less than 1/2,209,859, it will be seen that in these days cf unemployed labour the growth or decay of factory industries is of especial importance. The comparative table showing the results of the census returns in 1881, in 1886, and in 1891, enables us to judge of the industrial progress of the colony as a whole, and of the effects of legislation and other, perhaps temporary, causes inducing or hindering the investment of money in manufacturing concerns. The forma of industry are too various to be named here, the principal being printing, scouring, fhx millp, meat preserving, saw mills, iron works, quartz mining, collieries, and boot factories. In each of these classes over 1000 men are employed, while 26,911 men are employed in factory work of some kind or another, being an increase of 302 on the number employed in 1886 and 927 on the number employed in 1881. The total result of this labour, aa shown by the corresponding increase in value of manufactures, is, as between 1886 and 1891, almost exactly two millions sterling increase. Wo are surprised to observe that the returns do not furnish the value per head of males' and females' work — only the approximate value of the total work being given. We find that while in 1886 the value of the work was per head L 289, this sura had increased in 1891 to L 315 per head. The explanation of this curious increase is to be found in another column, where we learn that the amount of horse-power employed in the various undertakings bad risen from 13,601 horse-power in 1881 to 19,315 horse-power in 1886, and to 33,392 horse-power in 1891. We arrive therefore at the interesting conclusion that by increased motive power in the machinery employed the value of the work turned out by each employe was increased by L 26. It is a pity that there is no record of the amount of wages paid in 1881 or 1886. The approximate wages paid to males in 189 L amounted on the average to L7B 5s 9d each, to females L 34 13s 9d each.

As regards the total amount invested in land, plant, and buildings used for manufacturing purposes, the value of any comparison, between the various periods is largely discounted by the fall in the value of land, which has come down by L 192,899 in the last five yeara. While buildings have increased by L 38,350, and machinery and plant have increased by L 283,410, the total capital invested has only grown by L 129,859. It may be noted, however, that in the five years 1881 to 1886, the increase of capital was just two millions, that of machinery and plant being over one million, or L 1,155,148.

Turning from the totals of the manufacturing industries of the colony to returns of especial undertakings, we find a considerable falling off in five years under the heading " Hydraulic Gold Mining and Gold Dredging," both in the number of works and number of hands employed, ihe first having decreased from 124 to 74, the second from 617 to 495, and tlm though the number of ounces of gold produced is almost the same, the diminution being only 5330z. In this industry it is quite clear that ■what baa happened has been this, that mechanical appliances have superseded and thrown out of employment human labour. The amount of horse-power employed in this branch of gold production has risen from 891 horse-power in 1886 to 7728 horsepower in 1891. Although the number of gasworks has increased by seven in the last five years, 95 fewer hands are employed in the making of gas. There are 1776 fewer hands employed in saw mills and sash aud door factories than there were five years ago, but in this industry horse-power also shows a small decrease, so that it cannot be said that improved machinery haa supplanted human labour Here. The number of mills has decreased by 25, and the total value of all products under this heading by no less a sum than 1344,754.

The following industries appear to have been practically stationary daring the five years last past — viz., iron and brass foundries, soap and candle works,

aerated waters, sauce and pickle making, breweries, boot and shoe factories, coach building, fellruongeries; while large increases have taken place in agricultural implement factorie?, which have niore^ than doubled in number, flax mills, which have increased in number from 30 to 177, and cheese and butter factories. Ifc was, perhaps, to be expected that during the last period brick making would have shown a decline, since the building trade has been inactive in all its branches, but we must confess that we can find no reason for the remarkable decay which has taken place in fruit preserving and jam making, less than half the number of men being now employed in tbi3 industry than in 1886. It is not easy to arrive at any general conclusion from the figures before us. Probably tho first notion we arrive at is the sound one — viz., a sentiment of disappointment that progress has been so small. There are encouraging signs here and there going to show that investments have largely followed the main productive industries of agriculture and the like. Upon the whole the manu- 1 facturing industries have not pro- j gressed as might have been expected. The sanguine hopes of those who expected a vast growth in consequence of Protective legislation meet their death blow in the matter-of-fact figures of the census retu.ns. There, has certainly been no increase in the amount of employment at all proportionate to the increased expense and inconvenience entailed by higher Customs duties. On the other hand, our progress has been even and regular, and fairly distributed through the variety of industries proper and natural in a new countiy. Saw mills and flax mills may seem indeed to border on the line of living off capital, but the frozen meat industry is a whole host in itself and must rank among the most useful of factory works. The next five years we shall expect to see aomething of the same steady growth over the whole field of enterprise which has characterised the past five, and there will be no cause for grumbling then.