INDUSTRIAL STATISTICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2232, 10 December 1896, Page 11

INDUSTRIAL STATISTICS.

WOOLLEN MIIXS. The consus industrial statistics show that the woollen mills in the colony have increased from eight to nine since 1891. The following particulars are given : — The hands employed in 1895 were— lilen, 478, women 513, boys 177, girl* 248 ;— total 1416. In 1890 they were— Men 426, women 373, boya 176, girls 200;— total, 1175, an increaie of 241 hands. The wages paid in 1895 were— to male*! £59.583, to females £32,036 ;— total, £91,619. In 1890 the wages paid to males amou ote d to £52, 250, to female* £26. 790 ;— total, £79,040, aa increate of £12,579. The wool used io 1895 was 3, 485,8931b, iv 1890 2 699,2191b, wa increase of 786,6741b. The total value of manufactures wa« £302,423 and £279,175, an increase of £23,248. The value of land, building*, machiuery and plaDt was £223,473 and £259.955, an increase of £36,482. THE FISHERIES. , The returns from the fishing and oysfcergathoring industries show that they have increased from 123 to 151 in the five years abovementioned. The number of persons employed has increased f rom 667 in 1891 to 1088 in 1895 and tha persons receiving wages from 214 to 242. Wages have decreased from £15,769 to £12,080 The boats have increased from 418, of 788 tonnage, and valued at £8428, lo 545, of 1347 tonaagp, and valued at £14,562. The uumber and value of the nets have also increased. With regard to oyster-gathering 23 boat* aw now used, an increase of 10, their total valge having slightly decreased. The number and value of too dredges have increased, bu> the buildings used for fishing purposes have decreased. AERATED WATER AND CORDIALS. The census industrial statistics show that the aerated water and cordial manufactories h&v;> increa«ed since 1891 from 112 to 132. The following particulnrs are given : — Hands employed in 1895, 347 ;in 1890. 261— an increase of 86 ; wages paid iv 1895,£2 l 445; in 1890, £17,021— an increase of £4424 ; value of land, building, machinery, and plant in 1895, £98,609 ; in IS9O, £91,691— an increase of £6918 Otago takethe lead in this industry of the provincial districts, with manufactures valued at £23,972; Wellington follows, with £22,031 ; Aucklanc comes next with £19,479 worth ; and Canterbury stands fourth, having manufactured to th« value of £14,941 ; while the total for Hawke'o Bay is £9232, Nelson £4295, Taranaki £2513, and Marlborough £2146. JAM FACTORIES. The cunpus industrial statistics show th»! the fruit-preserving and jam faofeories in th« colony have increased since 1891 from 15 to 22, the number of hands employed from 117 to 393, the wage* paid from £4742 to £6551, the value of laud, buildings, &0., from £10,042 to £18 867, the value of manufactures from £27,255 to £36,108. The quantity of fruit bottled or preserved has increased from 56,188!b to 72,7901b, and the quantity of jam made from 1,250,2381b to 1,930,058. PICKtES. The returns show that the sauce and pickle making establishments have increased from 12 in 1891 to 24 in 1895. The hands employed now number 68, as againsb 41, aud they receive £2457 in wages, a3 againsb £1633. The value of the laud, buildings, and plant, and that o? the manufactures has more than doubled, beiDg now £11,909 and £13,417 respectively. The quantity of sauces made has decreased from 25,213 dozen pints to 20,539 dozen, and that of pickles has increased from 4128 dozen to 9949 dozen.