DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3119, 20 February 1909, Page 6

DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR.

The following concerning Tenui, Masterton, Grey town, and Featherston, appears in the Labour Journal for February, :--- Tenui.—Local carpenters have been I fairly busy during the month repairing 7 and erecting outbuildings, and several carpenters from outside the district are now erecting a dwellinghi u :c of fourteen rooms. Ketail trades (general) slack. Miscellaneous: General blacksmiths have been doing a fair trade. Unskilled labour: All local men ' have been fairly employed during the m mth at scrub-cutting, fencing, har--1 vesting, and road-metulling. Several swapgers passed through here. J A few of them got employment in tha district at scrub-cutting, and the J others kept travelling on towards ! Hawke's Bay in search of suitable employment. All works'going on in | this district are full-handed, and ! there is no demand for outside I labour. ! Masterton.—There is nothing fresh : to report for the month of January, and indications do not point to any immediate improvement in trades generally. Farmers report a splendid harvest-—in fact, many state it is the best experienced for several years past. The majority of drapers are holding sales, but business is not ! up to expectations. I Building trade: . Bricklaying dull. 1 Carpentry and joinery—Nothing of any moment doing. Painting has slackened off. Plumbing and gasfitting—Business in this line is improving. Stonemasonary rather . slack. i Woodworking trades Boxmaking .medium; not so good as last month. I Cabinetmaking and upholstering J slack. Sash and door factories very ; slack. Sawmilling—Very little doing. Wood-turning, etc.—Very little doing. Engineering trades: Fitting and turning slack. Irun and brass moulding very slack. Leather trades: Bootmaking (repair shop 3) very good. Saddiery and harnessmaking—Fair business reported. Clothing trades: Dressmaking and millinery fairly busy. Tailoring (order) fairly busy at present. Ketail trades: Clothing moderate. Boots slack. Drapery moderate. : Groceries fair. Printing trades: Printing—Some printers are fairly busy, while others are slack. Meat-freezing, etc.: Felmongering very fair. Coachbuilding trades: Blacksmithing fair. Coacn and carriage building—Fairly good business reported, but not up to last year's standard. Cycle and motor trades —Sales only medium; repairs very good. Agricultural operations: Farming, dairying, etc.: The hay has all been taken in, but there is a good deal of oats and wheat still to be harvested. Shearing is over. Turnip and rape crops are looking very well, and cattle and sheep are in splendid condition. Dairying still continues brisk. Miscellaneous: Wool-press manufacturing —Medium business reported. Unskilled labour: During the period under review two single men, and one-married couple with three dependants, were placed in private employment by the Department. Greytown—Building trades slack. Leather trades fairly busy. Clothing trades: Dressmaking and millinery busy. Tailoring (order) busy. Retail trades (general) good. Printing trades good.

Coachbuilding trades: Blacksmith ing good. Cycle and motor trades fairly busy. Agricultural operations: Farming, dairying, etc.: Farmers have had a very good season. The milk-supply to the local cheese-factory has been much greater than in former years. Unskilled labour: Local labour is fully employed; there are sufficient men to meet demands. .: Featherston. —The past month has been a very good one from the farmer's point of view. The weather has been exceptionally wet for this time of year; but the warm rains have kept the grass forward, consequently fat sheep and cattle are plentiful, and large consignments have been sent away. The milk-supply also is very large for this time of the year. Building trades: Bricklaying slack. Carpentry and joinery—All hands kept employed. Painting—Local hands working full time. Retail trades: Clothing, boots, drapery, and groceries gxod. Coachbuilding trades: Biaeksmithing—All hands kept employed. Cycle and motor trades very good. Agricultural operations: Farming, dairying, etc.—Farmers are now busy cutting crops; very good yields are expected. The dairy-farmers are doing very well. The milk-returns are much larger this year than last, especially during this month. The cheese-factory is busy, and large shipments are being exported. Unskilled labour: There have been a number of labourers passing through the district during the month looking for work. Local labourers are all well employed.