THE LABOUR MARKET.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6597, 22 September 1899, Page 1

THE LABOUR MARKET.

--- The .following remarks with reference to the labour market in Canterbury appear in the " Journal of the Department of Labour," published on Sept. 18 :— Rangiora.— Building trades: Good; all local tradesmen fullyemployed. Engineering . trades : Fairly good ; a great improvement on the last two months. Boot trade: Dull. Clothing trade : Fairly good. Retail trade (general) : Dull. Miscellaneous : The flax-mills in the district are all busy, and working full time. Unskilled labour : No applications for work ; all local men appear to be fully employed. Christchurch.— Building trades: Quite busy again.' Engineering trades: Still busy in nearly all branches. Boot trade : Slight improvement on last month, but still far from satisfactory. Clothing trade : Has been a little more brisk this month. Retail trade (general) : Fairly good business has been done in nearly all trades. In the drapery trade sales have been the order of the day. Unskilled labour : A number of men apply almost daily for work, but with the advent of better weather the applicants should be greatly diminished in number. Fourteen men have been sent to Government and private employment during the month. Ashburton. — Building trades : Very brisk in all branches. Engineering trade : Fairly good. All hands fully employed. Boot and clothing trades : Good busines ruling. Retail trade (general) : Very good. Unskilled labour : No applications for employment have been made during the month, and there appear to be very few men idle. Very few •swaggers' are travelling the roads. Waimate. — Building, trades : Very good. All hands fully employed. A number of new buildings going up in town and country. Retail trade (general) : Very good. Unskilled labour : No applications received for work during the month. Timaru. — Building trades : Fairly busy. Engineering trades : Busy. Employees in factory working full time. Boot trade : Rather slack ; factories making three-quarter time. Shop salsa rather dull. Clothing trade : Dressmaking and tailoring rart-her ,dull ; factories making three-quarter time. Shop sales dull. Retail trade (general) : Fairly good. jtfiscellaueous: Wool-scouring and brick-manufac-turing busy. These industries employ a good deal of labour in this district. Unskilled labour: There are a good few married men not in constant employment who depend on casual work at the wharf for a living.