THE INDUSTRIAL CENSUS.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13412, 9 May 1912, Page 4

THE INDUSTRIAL CENSUS.

BUTTER AND CHEESE FACTORIES

THE WAGES OF EMPLOYEES

(Special to "The Colonist.")

Wellington, May 8. Tho industrial census recently taken f included tho butter and cheese factories of tho Dominion. As a result, some important facts as to the workers and their wages in relation to the output aroavailable. Siiico the previous censiis was taken in 1905, tlio wages of eniployees have increased by £38,938, while at the same time improved methods enabled the dairy factory workers (who are only 4S more now than in 1905) to deal with th« output, valued at £1,337,----545 more than that for the year 1905. The home separator system is mostly found in Auckland, whore there are 1763 out of -a total of 2418 recorded for tho Dominion. There are 338 factories, an. increase of 74 in five years. Of these 68 .are individually owned, 16 partnership or firm, 118 belong to registered companies, and 126 are co-operative concerns. There a-ro 1,481 hands employed. The value of tho output and tho wages paid at the factories last year in th» various provinces was as .follows— Auckland province, output £900,721; wages £37,778.

Taranaki, output £1,209,243: wages £44,895.

Hawke's Bay, . output, £151,687: wages £9,993.

Wellington, output £769,325; wages,, £37,331.

Marlborough, output £29,439-; wages

Nelson, output £13,746; wages, £2958. Westland, output, £21,711: wages. £1,263.

Canterbury,, output £221,641; wages, £9,489.

Otago, output £223,900: wages, £14,352.

Southland, output, £179,762; wages,; £15,435.

The remarkable development of tk© industry is best shown by the amouat of capital invested in dairy factories and machinery, which amounts to £953----922, haying almost tripled in a decade. Otherwise there is nothing particularly1 encouraging about the figures, in; the industrial census.