REPORT OF THE NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT SERVICE ON ACTIVITIES UNDER THE EMPLOYMENT ACT, 1945

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1947 Session I, H-11a

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1947 NEW ZEALAND

REPORT OF THE NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT SERVICE ON ACTIVITIES UNDER THE EMPLOYMENT ACT, 1945

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency

National Employment Service, Wellington, 30th Mav, 1947. The Hon. the Minister of Employment. Sir, — I have the honour to submit the following report on the activities of the National Employment Service during the twelve months ended 31st March, 1947. I have, &c., H. L. Bockett, Director of Employment.

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CONTENTS PART I.—ADMINISTRATION— Page Section I. —Administrative Developments .. .. .. .. .. .. 3 Section II. —Staff Employed .. .. .. .. .. 4 Section lll.—Placement Activities .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5 Section IV.—Hostels and Camps .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 6 Section V.—Employment Promotion .. .. .. .. .. .. 7 Section VI. —Immigration .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 8 Section VII. —Employment Information .. .. .. .. .. .. 9 Section VIII. —Home Aid Service .. .. .. .. .. .. 11 Section IX.—Advisory Councils and Committees .. .. .. .. .. 12 Section X.—Finance and Expenditure .. .. .. .. .. 13 PART lI.—EMPLOYMENT LEVELS— Section I. —Supply and Distribution of Labour .. .. .. .. .. 15 Section II. —Problems arising from Labour Shortage .. .. .. .. 18 Section 111. —Lines of Approach to the Problems .. .. .. .. 19 Section IV. —Unemployment and Seasonal Employment .. .. .. 21 Section V. —Maori Employment .. .. .. .. .. .. 23 PART lII.—DISTRICT BY DISTRICT EMPLOYMENT POSITION OVER THE TWELVE MONTHS 25 APPENDICES— Appendix I. —Statistical Tables .. .. .. .. .. .. ... 41 Appendix II. —List of Special Articles published .. .. .. .. 52

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PART I.—ADMINISTRATION SECTION I—ADMINISTRATIVE DEVELOPMENTS 1. From Ist April, 1946, the National Employment Service, set up under the Employment Act, 1945, officially commenced its new post-war functions broadly defined in the Act as " the promotion and maintenance of full employment at all times." New ground has had to be broken in a number of fields, particularly in the institution of the first six-monthly Returns of Employment Information, the assumption of responsibility for immigration, and the exploration of voluntary means of meeting labour needs in certain high-priority industries. The year has therefore been, at least in part, a time of settling down to new procedure and activity. 2. A major new development was the transfer to the Department during the year of immigration work previously undertaken by the Labour Department. The Employment Service, with its information on employment trends and shortages and its placement activities, thus assumed the responsibility for dealing with the large number of inquiries from many persons abroad who are interested in New Zealand as their possible future home, and for preparing for the commencement of a scheme of planned immigration. An Immigration Branch in the High Commissioner's Office, London, was established, and two senior officers were sent from New Zealand to handle inquiries in Great Britain and to act as representatives of the Department in official discussions on planned immigration with the British Government and other bodies. As the Immigration Scheme develops additional trained staff with a first-hand knowledge of New Zealand conditions will be necessary in London, and it is intended to second further officers to Great Britain as the need arises. 3. During the year the policy of pruning staff from the high wartime levels as opportunity arose was continued, and the total strength was reduced from 683 as at Ist April, 1946, to 549 at the date of this report, this latter figure being the present minimum establishment, as compared with 1,055 as at 31st March, 1945. The present figure includes 59 Home Aids and 44 members of the staffs of workers' camps and hostels. 4. In order particularly to assist junior staff and returned servicemen, a full-time Personnel and Staff Training Officer has been appointed. Staff training measures have been instituted in every district office, and a number of officers have been brought to Wellington for short refresher courses. Further co-ordinated staff training plans, linked with the training courses being undertaken by the Public Service Commission, have been drawn up for 1947. 5. The Department's separate existence as the National Employment Service has been short-lived, as it amalgamates with the Labour Department under the name " Department of Labour and Employment " from Ist April, 1947. The task of providing joint accommodation in every centre, of determining the sectional establishment, and of filling the key positions throughout, is receiving attention as this report is being compiled.

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SECTION lI.—STAFF EMPLOYED 6. The following tables analyse the male and female permanent and temporary staff of the Department as at 31st March of the current year and staff changes during the year ended 31st March, 1947 :

Analysis of Staff as at 31st March, 1947 Staff employed at 31st March, 1947

Staff Turnover between 1st April, 1946, and 31st March, 1947

Analysis of Status of Staff employed at 31st March, 1947

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— Males. Females. Total. Head Office 62 26 88 District offices 269 86 355 Detention camps 1 1 Home Aids 59 59 Workers' camps (excluding caterers' staffs).. k 1 15 Hostels, including domestic staff (but excluding 4 25 29 hostels operated by Y.W.C.A.) Secondments to London 2 2 Totals 352 197 549

Total at 1st New AppointTerminations Net Increase Total at 31st April, 1946 ments, &c., during Year. during Year. or Decrease. March, 1947. Head Office— Males 53 26 17 + 9 62 Females 37 4 15 -H 26 District OfficesMales 333 34 98 -64 269 Females 169 20 103 -83 86 Detention camps 46 45 -45 1 Home Aids 45 90 76 + 14 59 Workers' camps 7 24 16 + 8 15 Hostels 15 32 18 + 14 29 Secondments to London 2 + 2 2 Totals .. 705 232 388* -156 549 * Includes 101 transfers to other Government Departments.

I Total at 31st March, 1947. Variation since 1st April, 1945. Permanent male employees (not including officers on leave) Temporary male employees (clerical and contact) Female typists (permanent 38, temporary 11) Temporary female employees engaged in clerical and interviewing duties Others (Home Aids, camps, and hostels) 128 205 49 63 104 + 11 -63 -23 -72 - 9 Totals 549 -156

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Service in the Armed Forces Officers absent with the Forces at 31st March, 1946 .. .. .. 32 Officers absent with the Forces at 31st March, 1947 .. .. 11 Net reduction .. .. .. .. 21 . Officers who resumed duty during the year .. .. .. 25 Officers who resigned during the year after service in the Forces .. .. 5 Officers absent at 31st March, 1947, on leave without pay for rehabilitation purposes .. .. .. .. .. .. 15 7. The opportunity is taken to record appreciation of the loyal co-operation and sincere endeavour of the staff of Head Office and district offices in the establishment of the National Employment Service. The long hours of overtime during the years of wartime pressure have not had to be continued, but there have been many difficulties, and, in addition, the establishment of new procedure and the acquiring of an entirely different outlook in handling the wide and still-growing employment problems have demanded close attention to detailed instructions, and have required sympathetic understanding -of the important issues involved. SECTION lII.—PLACEMENT ACTIVITIES 8. One of the important functions of the Department is the placement of persons in employment. The Department's placement facilities are available both to disengaged persons and to those who are already engaged but who desire a change of employment. During the twelve months ended 31st March, 1947, a total of 25,022 men and women were placed in vacant positions by the district offices of the Department. This figure included 21,238 men and 3,784 women. Of the males, 7,924 were ex-servicemen, 899 were regarded as being semi-employable, and 269 were over sixty years of age. The successful placement in employment of semi-employables and persons over sixty years ■of age is one of the most difficult tasks of an employment service, and the results of the Department's efforts in this sphere are gratifying. The number of unplaced persons enrolled on 31st March, 1947, was only 74, which is the lowest figure on record. 9. Placement of males per thousand of the labour force ranged from 12 to 95 per thousand, according to district, the figure for the whole Dominion being 41 per thousand. The districts with a male placement rate above 50 per thousand were Napier, Gisborne, Nelson, Oamaru, Ashburton, Dunedin, Blenheim, Hastings, and Rotorua, in that order. 10. The 21,238 placements of men were spread over the entire industrial field; -3,664 were in primary industries, 11,548 in secondary industries, and the balance, 6,026, were in the tertiary group. The numbers of placements in some of the more important individual industries were : farming, 2,583 ; forestry and sawmilling, 925 ; coal-mining, 167 ; meat-freezing, 1,312; dairy factories, 384; woollen and knitting mills, 239 ; footwear-factories, 259 ; engineering, 2,051 ; road, &c., transport, 549 ; building and construction, 3,783 ; hospitals, 244. 11. Of the female placements, 35 per cent, were in the Nelson district. This reflects the efforts made by the Service to meet the seasonal labour demands of fruit, hop, and tobacco growers. The Department has in recent years assumed responsibility for the organization of workers for this work. As a result of this organization the growers in Nelson have been able to rely on a more adequate supply of labour, despite the growing .demand for labour in city areas. 12. Among the placements of women were 477 into hospitals, 443 into hotels and restaurants, 247 into clothing-factories, and 254 into household and personal services. 13. In general perspective the figures show that male workers seeking employment •during the period under review have taken full advantage of the service offered to them in quickly locating suitable employment. In affording this service to workers the Department has been able, by voluntary means, to influence the flow of male labour in accordance with the national needs.

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SECTION IV.—HOSTELS AND CAMPS 14. Reference was made in the last annual report of the National Service Department to a decision to continue to operate hostels and camps for the accommodation of workers within the framework of the National Employment Service. 15. By virtue of the accommodation made available in these hostels and campsthe Department is in a position to offer between-season employment in areas where jobs are available to seasonal workers from areas where winter empldyment is hard tofind. Furthermore, the greatest shortage of labour in important industries exists in the Auckland and Wellington districts, where there is also a pronounced shortage of accommodation of all types. By operating camps and hostels in these centres the Department is able to contribute materially towards building up the supply of labour available for important industries. 16. During the past year an additional hostel was established in Wellington for the accommodation of shorthand-typists recruited from other centres to assist in meeting the very serious shortage of shorthand-typists for Government Services. This hostel,which accommodates 55 girls, was filled to capacity shortly after it was opened. 17. Suitable premises have recently been acquired for a hostel, in Christchurch with a view to increasing the accommodation available for women workers in important industries. It is expected that this hostel will be opened in the near future. 18. Hostels were also established during the year in Auckland and Wellington toprovide accommodation and training centres for Home Aids (see Section VIII, Home Aid Service). These are smaller hostels accommodating only from ten to fifteen girls, and, in addition to their use as training, establishments for the Home Aid Service, will enable the Department to accommodate girls who join that Service. 19. A change in location was made during the year in respect of two of the workers' camps operated by the Department. In Auckland the Avondale camp, which was usedfor accommodating Maori workers engaged mainly in the freezing-works, and which was located at the Avondale Racecourse, was transferred to a more convenient situation at Mangere, where the men have the advantage of a much better standard of accommodation. In Wellington the area in which the Naenae workers' camp had been situated during the war years had to be vacated and a new camp was sited in Jackson Street, Petone. In view of the heavy demand for accommodation for male workers in essential industries in the Hutt industrial area, the opportunity was taken to increase the capacity of this camp from 300 to approximately 420. 20. In addition, a new camp was established at the Winter Show Buildings, Wellington, to help towards meeting the increasing demand for accommodation for male workers there. 21. At the present time proposals are also under way to establish hostels for miners in several of the larger coal-mining districts. The lack of sufficient accommodation in the mining centres has for some time been a.deterrent to the recruitment of labour for the coal-mines, and, in view of the importance of increasing our coal production, one of the keys to which is to increase the labour supply, the Government has decided to erect hostels at Huntly, Ohura, Reefton, and Ohai, to accommodate 100, 50, 50, and 40 men respectively. 22. The aim of the Department in all of its hostels and camps has been to provide the most comfortable living-conditions possible having regard to the nature of the establishment, and adequate food of good quality at a reasonable charge. The charge for board at the girls' hostels is 30s. per week and at the camps for male workers, 325. 6d. per week. 23. With the exception of the Woburn and Orient Hostels for girls in Lower Hutt and Wellington respectively, the hostels and camps are operated directly by the Department. The two girls' hostels referred to were operated by the Y.W.C.A. for the

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National Service Department during the war years, and this very satisfactory arrangement has been continued up to the present. The Department is indebted to the Y.W.C.A. for its continued co-operation and for the most efficient manner in which the .administration of these two hostels has been carried out.

24. The capacity of the various hostels and camps already operating as at .31st March, 1947, is set out as follows :

SECTION V.—EMPLOYMENT PROMOTION 25. Owing to the general high level of employment and the number of vacancies throughout industry, only one employment promotion scheme (Scheme 13) has been in operation during the past twelve months. This scheme has been used mainly to retain in useful work a small number of men who for various reasons, such as failing health, .advancing age, &c., would be unable to obtain ordinary employment if the employer was required to pay full wages. 26. On the 31st March, 1947, there were 280 men employed under the scheme, as compared with 372 on the 31st March, 1946. The majority of the men employed were fit for light work only, although there were a few fit men for whom suitable local employment was not available and who could not reasonably be expected to accept work in other districts owing to their domestic circumstances. The payment of a subsidy on the wages of such men enables them to remain in useful employment in preference to .becoming a total charge on the State. 27. All men employed under the scheme are registered for employment, and every ■ effort is made to place them in suitable private employment as opportunity offers. While they remain under the scheme they are subject to constant supervision and their wages are subsidized to bring their earnings up to the award rate for the type of work performed. They are allocated to different local bodies, charitable institutions, &c., . and are engaged on such work as vegetable production, maintenance of parks and reserves, school grounds, harbour improvements, lime production, tramways, afforestation, and soil conservation. 28. The following analysis of the 280 men employed on the scheme at the 31st March, 1947, shows that 58*4 per cent, of the total were over fifty years of age : Years. Percentage. Years. Percentage. 32:: :: :: lII>--«■ »•« 50-54 .. .. .. 15-6 55-59.. .. .. 23-8 50-60 and over.. .. 58-4 60 and over .. .. 19 • 0 j 100-0 100-0

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Auckland District. Capacity. Wellington District. Capacity. Waikaraka Park Camp 300 Petone Camp, Petone 1 420 Mangere Camp 111 Hataitai Camp, Wellington j 220 Home Aid Hostel 10 Winter Show Camp, Wellington .. 220 Woburn Hostel, Lower Hutt 260 Orient Hostel, Wellington 80 Public Service Girls' Hostel, Welling55 ton Public Service Boys' Hostel, Welling98 ton

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SECTION VI.—IMMIGRATION 29. In December, 1945, the House of Representatives set up a Select Committee of its members to consider ways and means of increasing the population of the Dominion. After hearing written and oral evidence from a large number of organizations, Government Departments (including this Department), and individuals, the Committee presented its report in September, 1946. The Committee recommended that no policy of wholesale immigration should be embarked on by New Zealand at the present time or in the immediate future, but that immigration should be of the selective type in accordance with the immigrants' occupational aptitudes for industrial work and the availability of vacancies and accommodation. In view of the serious shortages of housing accommodation it was recommended that at the commencement preference should be given to single people. 30. In view of the acute financial difficulties of Great Britain it was decided that the full costs of bringing assisted immigrants to the Dominion should be met by New Zealand. In brief, the assisted passage scheme will thus be : (1) Full payment by the Dominion of transport costs from the United Kingdom to New Zealand of all persons selected, whether civilian or ex-service personnel, the only exception being that civilianswill be required to contribute £lO towards the cost of their passage. (2) Selection will be made by the High Commissioner in London, and will, in the initial stages,, be confined to physically fit single persons between the ages of twenty and thirty-five who are experienced in or suitable for employment in certain specified occupations of an essential nature. (3) Such assisted immigrants will be required to sign an agreement to remain in the occupation for which they volunteered, for a period of two years, failing which the full fares will be recoverable* from them. (4) First priority will be given to staff for general, mental, and maternity hospitals. 31. The number of berths which will be available for allocation by the High Commissioner under the proposed immigration scheme, on the basis of present estimates of the shipping available, will be 1,500 from June to December, 1947, 3,500 in 1948, and 4,600 in 1949. 32. Whatever numbers of immigrants may be considered desirable and whatever schemes of encouragement, selection, or assistance are proposed, there remains the limiting factor of the physical means of transporting people here. In addition to the loss of shipping by enemy action during the war, a large proportion of vessels remaining afloat require extensive overhaul, re-engining, and conversion from troop to civilian passenger accommodation. As space in the shipyards becomes available in Great Britain the ships will be withdrawn from service. 33. To deal more adequately with the increasing volume of inquiries a separate division of the Department was set up, and experienced officers have been sent to join the High Commissioner's Office in London for the purpose of establishing an Immigration Branch in that Office and to ensure that accurate information on employment opportunities, living-conditions, &c., is made available to prospective settlers. This Branch will also deal with the administration, at that end, of any assisted immigration scheme that may be introduced. It is appropriate to record here that the number of inquiries,, either by personal calls or by letter, received at New Zealand House from prospective immigrants to New Zealand averages two thousand per week. 34. The increasing numbers of inquiries being received, both in New Zealand and at the Office of the High Commissioner for New Zealand in London, warranted the preparation of a booklet which would give prospective settlers as accurate a picture as possible of life in New Zealand. Accordingly an illustrated booklet of thirty-two pages entitled " Prospects of Settlement in New Zealand " was printed and supplies despatched to overseas Government offices in Great Britain, Australia, South Africa,, Canada, United States of America and India for distribution to inquirers. In addition, a number of booklets have been prepared on employment prospects in general and mental hospitals and in coal-mining, building and construction, sawmilling, footwear and clothing manufacture, woollen, knitting, and hosiery mills, engineering and metal trades, hotels, restaurants, and other domestic work. These pamphlets give prospective immigrants a broad outline of the industry, describe what classes of work are included, standards of

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skill required, special trades practices in use, types of machines used, and the tools to be provided by workers. They also give details of hours of work, rates of wages, and the location of the main factories or units of the industries. 35. Pending the availability of shipping, only very small numbers of assisted immigrants could be brought in and, in view of the critical shortage of staff in mental hospitals, a scheme was launched for the selection of 225 women and girls for mental hospital work whose full passages to New Zealand would be paid by the Government, plus an allowance for personal expenses on the voyage. The selectees would contract to remain in the work for a period of two years. Up to 31st March, 1947,157 trainee nurses and cooks had arrived in New Zealand under this scheme, and all but seventeen have settled down very well in their work. Three of the latter girls refunded their passages and allowances in full, and six have been permitted to transfer to general nursing or other approved employment. The remaining eight cases were still under action on 31st March, 1947. 36. Up to the 31st March the Immigration Division of the Department had dealt with 2,426 inquiries from prospective settlers. Of these, 350 were from British servicemen serving abroad who had the option of electing to take their discharge in New Zealand, and certificates were issued to them authorizing their entry into the Dominion. A further 105 inquiries from British servicemen were under action at that date. Inquiries from other British people, including ex-servicemen in Great Britain, numbered 1,694, of whom 1,040 were encouraged to come, 475 were-asked for further information, and 179 were the subject of inquiry to obtain further information for them. American inquiries numbered 40 and other aliens 237. SECTION VII.—EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION 37. It is becoming generally recognized that both modern industry and a modern State must have access to reliable and current information relating to employment matters. Such information to be of the maximum practical value should present to the Government and to industry actual figures disclosing all aspects of employment trends, the existence and location of labour shortages and unemployment, and how the latter are changing in the course of time and between industries. 38. The National Employment Service, through its twenty-five district offices, is maintaining close touch with the labour requirements of industry, and is assembling such information. This information is collated and published regularly in two volumes—first, the Monthly Review of Employment, and, second, the Half-yearly Survey of Employment. 39. The former is issued at the end of each month to Government Departments, overseas Legations, representatives of overseas Governments, employers' and workers' organizations, and interested individual employers and others. It contains a summary of the important employment developments during the month ; it draws attention to changes in the numbers of disengaged persons enrolled for employment in the various industries and in different localities ; it shows the numbers of disengaged persons placed in employment; it outlines the changes in vacancies in industries and in districts ; it records seasonal variations in employment; and as overseas statistics become available it illustrates how the over-all position in New Zealand compares with that overseas. A list of the more important special articles, excluding the regular reviews of the incidence of disengaged persons, placements and vacancies, &c., is set out in Appendix II of this "report. 40. the Monthly Review of Employment provides information on current employment matters, it covers only part of the field. The Half-yearly Survey of Employment furnishes the greater part of the remaining particulars required to complete the pattern. This publication is prepared as soon as possible after the collection of the half-yearly employment information returns, and it is available in January and July of each year. The distribution is somewhat wider than that of the Monthly Review. 41. The Half-yearly Survey of Employment provides particulars of pay-roll strengths and vacancies in each industry, wage pay-outs, the inflow of juveniles into industry, the labour turnover rates of each industry, the number of part-time workers engaged,

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and a complete occupational analysis of tlie building and construction industry. The Monthly Review, in conjunction with the Half-yearly Survey, gives to the Dominion for the first time current and comprehensive data on all employment movements. The uses of this data are manifold, and are referred to at various points in this report. 42. A time of scarcity should obviously be a time for particularly careful stocktaking and husbanding of resources. To weather a time of scarcity successfully, no matter what it is that happens to be scarce; requires a careful and up-to-date knowledge of stocks and of the distribution of those stocks, a factual or physical measuring up of unbalances and wastages, and a close and continuing check on the extent to which shortages at the various points are approaching a critical stage and on the extent to which the position can be eased by trimming and readjusting. Accurate and up-to-date knowledge of supplies and their distribution and use is, for those in need of the supplies, far more vital in a time of scarcity than in a time of plenty. 43. For those disposing of the supplies, the reverse is the case. From their point of view, a time of acute shortage offers fewer problems. Their greater problems arise in time of surplus, when it becomes necessary to know what is happening to stocks and to demand, how much surplus has to be disposed of, how rapidly it is accumulating, in what directions and to what extent are the various users cutting down their requirements, where can alternative users be found ? In a time of surplus, information becomes vital to the disposer and becomes less vital to the user. 44. Whether there is scarcity or surplus, one or other of these two major divisions of the community, the disposers and the users (in the case of labour, the workers and the employers) will benefit from the availability of information and may get into difficulties without it. At all times the whole community gains from the consequent more effective utilization of labour. 45. The various points of application of such information can be broadly summarized in three groups, as follows: (1) Use of employment information to influence the supply or distribution of labour through : (a) Immigration. (b) Location of reserve pools of labour. (c) Adjustment of public-works programmes. (d) Location of housing and other accommodation. (e) Changes in relative wage attractions and in factors governing these. (/) Facilities for transference of labour from place to place. (ff) Various other applications influencing the supply and distribution of labour, such as—(i) The influence of vocational guidance, (ii) Trade training, (hi) Publicity, (iv) Transport, &c. (2) Use of employment information towards securing the use of labour to fullest advantage by : (h) Reducing unemployment. \i) Reducing time lost in changing from one job to another. (j) Reducing labour wastage arising out of excessive turnover. (Jc) Reducing labour wastage arising out of a failure of a worker to get into a job enabling his best or most skilled performance. (I) Elimination of bottlenecks. (3) Use of employment information in measures influencing the more general well-being of the comrqLunity, such as : —• (to) Assisting workers to secure continuity of employment. (n) Securing various less direct advantages to the community through sustained purchasingpower, better-balanced local economies, increased production levels and standard of living, &c. (o) Planning the development of natural resources and services in alignment with the rates and direction of industrial expansions. (p) Basing education and occupational training on real requirements and opportunities. (q) Attaining or maintaining an effective relationship between the actualities of the man-power position in industry and such policy matters as school-leaving age, age and conditions of retirement, &c. (r) Maintaining full employment through budgetary and other Government measures.

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46. Supplementary to the monthly and bi-annual publications, the Department lias released special studies on the employment factor in several industries, including footwear, clothing, motor trades, and bread-baking. In these studies an introductory .analysis of the data supplied by employers has been made with a view to lining out more •clearly the dimensions of the problems facing these industries and facilitating further •constructive and informed examination of the problem by all concerned. SECTION VIII.—HOME AID SERVICE 47. The Home Aid Service, which actually commenced operations in December, 1946, is now functioning in the following towns : Whangarei. Wellington. Auckland. Nelson. Hamilton. Christchurch. New Plymouth. Oamaru. Wanganui. Timaru. Napier. Dunedin. Hastings. Invercargill. Lower Hutt. Greymouth. 48. During the comparatively short period in which it has been in operation the Home Aid Service has proved to be most acceptable in assisting to meet the very real need for help in the home, particularly in those cases where the housewife is incapacitated •due to maternity or sickness or where there are a number of young children and there is sickness in the home. As a general rule, householders have reported most favourably on the work performed by the Aids, and the Aids employed in the Service have proved -themselves to be most willing and most adaptable and capable of accepting complete responsibility for all household duties. 49. The status aimed at for the Service is higher, and the conditions of employment .are better than normally associated with private domestic work. In view of the general shortage of female labour, however, the Department has been unable as yet to recruit the number of Aids that would be necessary to provide assistance in the home on any large scale. In the meantime, therefore, it is necessary to restrict the Service mainly to cases of an emergency nature. 50. Judging from the demand for assistance from the Home Aid Service since its inception, it is apparent that the Service must be considerably expanded, particularly in the main centres and the larger secondary towns, if the Department is to be in a position to meet all reasonably urgent cases. 51. One of the difficulties that has been experienced in recruiting sufficient girls for the Service in the main centres where the demand is greatest has been the lack of .accommodation. With the recent establishment of Home Aid hostels and training centres in Auckland and Wellington, however, it is hoped that this difficulty will largely be overcome, and that additional girls will thus be encouraged to join the Service in these •centres. 52. In addition to the hostels which have already been established in Auckland and Wellington it is proposed to establish hostels in Christchurch and Dunedin to accommodate Aids who are unable to obtain board and lodging. The hostels will also be used .as training centres for girls who wish to join the Service and who require training to •qualify. The practical course of training includes : Housewifery in all phases. Cookery and nutrition. Care and management of children. Marketing, budgeting, and selecting of household goods. 53. The charge for the service of a Home Aid is 2s. per hour—£4 per week of forty lours —but provision is made for a reduction in this charge if payment in full would involve hardship. Reductions in the standard charge have been made in a number of deserving cases.

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54. The following table summarizes the activities of the Service for the twelve months ended 31st March, 1947 :

Activities of the Home Aid Service for the Year ended 31st March, 1947

The duration of the individual engagement of Aids for the 3,996 cases set out in the above table was as follows : Under one week .. .. .. .. .. 3,420 One week and under two weeks .. .. .. .. 263 Two weeks and under three weeks .. .. .. .. 153 Three weeks and over .. .. .. .. .. 160 Total .. .. .. .. .. 3,996 SECTION IX.—ADVISORY COUNCILS AND COMMITTEES 55. The Employment Act, 1945, provides for the establishment of Advisory Councilsand Committees to assist the Department in the effective administration of its Employment Service. Through these Councils and Committees the Department is able to secure the co-operation of workers' and employers' organizations in dealing with the employment problems of important industries. Permanently constituted local Employment Advisory Committees, consisting of workers' and employers' representatives,, under the chairmanship of the District Employment Officer, have been set up in a number of industries. Where appropriate, representatives of other Government Departments have been co-opted as members of these Committees. National Employment Advisory Committees (similarly constituted on a national basis, and under the chairmanship of the Director of Employment) have also been set up in some industries where employment problems have important nation-wide ramifications. 56. The main functions of the Advisory Councils and Committees may be summarized as follows : (a) To watch over and advise on employment trends in industry. (b) To assist the Department in a study of local employment information and forecasts and in any action arising out of these. (c) To help the Department to secure workers for and to maintain an adequate labour force in the industry. (Immigration is, of course, an important factor in this respect.) (d) To assist in the placement of disabled ex-servicemen and other persons requiring special consideration in the industry. (e) To advance liaison between local employers and all agancies available to assist the industry in improving industrial welfare and efficiency, training, vocational guidance, &c. (/) To bring matters to the notice of the Director of Employment where such action is appropriate.

Number Details of Cases serviced during Period. Month. of Aids employed. Maternity. Sickness. Other. Total. 1946 April 47 64 81 17 162 May 64 83 86 21 190 June .. 63 143 163 15 321 July63 247 304 33 584 August 57 231 274 27 532 September 67 220 195 41 456 October 62 191 137 16 344 November 63 180 143 8 331 December 59 162 104 3 269 1947 January 57 131 107 22 260 February 57 115 130 28 273 March 57 118 143 13 274 Totals 1,885 1,867 244 3,996 i

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57. Such Employment Committees are already functioning in tlie following industries : baking trades, freezing industry, laundries (Auckland), motor trades, road transport, and tramways. 58. The Department has also set up a Dominion Advisory Immigration Council to assist it in correlating the needs of different industries and districts (preferably after these have been studied and reported on by local Employment Committees) and generally helping to implement a well-balanced immigration scheme. SECTION X.—FINANCE AND EXPENDITURE (i) Vote, " National Employment Service " (£583,250) Net 59. Expenditure by the National Employment Service is subject to annual appropriation by Parliament in terms of the Public Revenues Act, 1926, and provision is made for this expenditure to be met from the Consolidated Fund under vote, " National Employment Service." This vote is divided into the three subdivisions, set out below. The figure shown against the total vote above and the amount against each subdivision is the net expenditure in each case after the sums received by the Department under the Treasury revenue item " Departmental receipts " have been deducted. 60. Subdivision I: Administration (£232,598 Net). —As this is the first complete year's administration expenses recorded under this vote, the net expenditure of £232,598 can be compared only with the net amount of £297,277, incurred in 1945-46 under vote, " National Service." This latter vote was operated by the National Service Department, the forerunner of the National Employment Service. It will be noted that a reduction of £64,679 was effected. 61. Subdivision II : Employment (£337,211 Net). —The main items of expenditure under this subdivision were — (a) Accommodation for Workers (Camps and Hostels, including Public Service Hostels) £ Capital expenditure .. .. .. .. .. .. 226,603 £ Operational expenditure .. .. .. .. 76,076 Less board receipts .. .. .. .. 74,815 Cash working deficit .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,261 Net capital and operational expenditure .. .. .. .. £227,864 Recoveries by War Expenses Account from the Consolidated Fund for the capital value of hostels and camps now in use for peacetime purposes are responsible for the greater portion of the capital expenditure under this item. (b) Home Aid Service— £ Capital costs of hostels, including equipment .. .. .. 5,843 £ Hostel operating costs .. .. .. .. .. 251 Less board receipts .. .. .. .. .. 101 Cash working deficit .. .. .. .. .. 150 Uniforms for Home Aids .. .. .. .. .. 1,052 Operating expenses for Home Aid Service (excluding hostel £ expenses) .. .. .. .. .. 11,752 Less payments by Householders .. .. .. 7,778 Net operational charges (excluding hostels) .. .. .. .. 3,974 Net capital and operational expenditure .. .. .. .. £11,019 The excess of £3,974 of operational expenses (excluding hostel costs) over payments by householders for services rendered is accounted for in the main by the reduction of charges in necessitous cases. (c) Promotion of Employment.—Details of employment promotion expenditure are shown in the first table at the end of this section. It will be noted that the net expenditure in 1946-47 was £98,328, as compared with £106,630 in the previous year, a reduction of £8,302.

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62. Subdivision 111 : Immigration (£13,441). —The main item of expenditure under this subdivision was the sum of £12,799 incurred in bringing to New Zealand 99 of the 157 British , girls who have already arrived in the Dominion to take up mental nursing. (ii) Vote, " National Serviee " (£619 Net) £ Appeal Board and Man-power Appeal Committees .. .. 398 Revision Authorities .. .. .. .. 13 Special Tribunal .. .. .. .. .. .. 173 Women's War Service Auxiliary .. .. .. 35 Total .. .. .. .. .. £619 63. These are the final items of expenditure incurred by the National Service Department under vote, " National Service " in connection with its wartime activities. The man-power Appeal Committees were disbanded on 30th June, 1946, and the other items of expenditure cover claims outstanding at 31st March, 1946, in addition to a small amount of current expenditure. (iii) War Expenses Account (Civil), (£24,600 Net) 64. The expenditure incurred under the main items of the National Service Department's section of War Expenses Account are shown in the second table at the end of this section. Although there are still a few outstanding claims, the expenditure recorded covers outstanding charges at 31st March, 1946, plus those incurred between Ist April, 1946, and the dates early in the financial year, when the various wartime activities ceased. (iv) Promotion of Employment 65. Statement of Net Expenditure for Year ended 31st March, 1947, and Previous Yeat 1 — Year ended Year ended 31st March, 1947. 31st March, 1946. £ £ Scheme 13 .. .. .. .'. .. 93,312 106,226 Subsidized training in industry .. .. .. 21 Youths' Farm Settlement .. .. .. .. 1,140 345 Insurance of workers .. .. .. ' .. .. 28 Separation allowances .. .. .. .. 2,356 Travelling-expenses of workers .. .. .. 1,484 Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. .. 15 31 £98,328 £106,630 (v) War Expenses Aceount

66. Statement showing Expenditure during Year ended 31st March, 1947, and Proceeds from Sale of Surplus Assets during same Period:—

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Year ended 31st March, 1947. Expenditure. Sale of Surplus Assets. Administration expenses Defaulters' Detention camps Emergency Fire Service Emergency Precautions Scheme Industrial Mobilization Women's Land Service Women's War Service Auxiliary £ 6,574 1,587 4,474 3,682 Cr. 92 £ 1,596 16,131 4,459 7,118 16 1,471 24,600 30,791

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PART lI.—EMPLOYMENT LEVELS SECTION I.—SUPPLY AND DISTRIBUTION OF LABOUR 67. New Zealand's labour force in 1947 is estimated at 533,000 males and 185,000 females. Of these, there are 13,000 persons serving in the Armed Forces. The total population of New Zealand (including Maoris) at the 31st December, 1946, was 893,000 males and 891,000 females, a total of 1,784,000. The working population, plus Armed Forces, represents approximately 60 per cent, of the total male population in the case of males and 21 per cent, in the case of females. 68. It is estimated that the distribution of persons in industry is as follows :

69. New Zealand is regarded as a predominantly primary producing country, and the value of farm products produced annually still exceeds, the value added to raw materials by her rapidly expanding secondary industries. Progress in the application of machinery to farming and improved farming methods generally have enabled primary production to hold its place as the chief contributor to New Zealand's national income, in spite of the increasing demands made upon the labour force by secondary and tertiary industries.

70. The development of New Zealand's manufacturing industries by lessening her dependence on imports from overseas has reduced the effects upon her economy of fluctuations in international trading conditions. The increase in manufacturing activity is illustrated by the following table of numbers employed in successive years, as shown by the statistics of factory production published in the "New Zealand Official YearBook " (figures for 1944-45 and subsequent years are not yet available)

71. The figures show the rapidity of the pre-war expansion and the relative stability in numbers employed during the war years, in spite of heavy withdrawals of men for the Armed Forces.

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— Males. Females. Per Cent. Per Cent. Farming and other primary industries .. .. 34 4 Manufacturing (secondary) industries 31 22 Servicing or tertiary industries 35 74 All industry 100 100

Factory Production : Number of Persons engaged. Year. Males. Females. 1935-36 65,200 21,400 1936-37 72,000 24,400 1937-38 76,200 26,200 1938-39 76,900 25,700 1939-40 80,200 28,600 1940-41 81,700 32,300 1941-42 82,000 35,200 1942-43 78,500 36,100 1943-44 81,700 36,200

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72. Eecently conducted surveys of employment show a continuance since the war of the pre-war tendency to expand in secondary and tertiary industry. The Department's second half-yearly survey of general industries and building and construction covered 304,000 males and 120,000 females (including 22,873 male and 3,734 female working proprietors) in units employing two or more workers. Farming and seasonal industries, hunting and fishing, and the loading and unloading of ships were excluded from the survey. The distribution over industry of workers in units covered by the survey, and the changes in numbers between May and October, 1946, are set out below :

73. During the six months reviewed by the Department's October, 1946, survey, the male labour employed in units covered increased by 9,525, or 3*5 per cent, of the May total, accounting for four-fifths of the men demobilized from the armed services over the same period. The increase in the male labour employed was most noticeable in the case of secondary industries, where there were 5,596, or 4*6 per cent., more males in October, 1946, than in the previous May. Female employees in secondary industries increased by 1-0 per cent., as against a decrease of 0-6 per cent, in tertiary industries. 74. Under conditions of full employment it is necessary to consider carefully the future strength of the labour force and to line it up against the requirements of New Zealand's increasing demand for industrial man-power. Demobilizations from the armed services have now tapered off, and recruitment of men and women for the labour force will in future draw on two main sources —the inflow of juveniles into the working age-groups, and the admission of suitable immigrants.

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Full-time Employees. Industry. Males. Females. May. October. Percentage Increase. May. October. Percentage Increase. Primary Industry (other than farming)—e.g., mining, bush sawmills,' &c. Secondary Industry (other than seasonal) — Pood, drink, and tobacco Textiles, clothing and leather Building materials and furnishings Engineering and metal working .. Miscellaneous manufacturing Power and water Building and construction 14,140 14,197 0-2 256 273 6-6 8,415 11,819 15,039 36,122 12,827 7,635 29,844 8,566 12,263 15,329 38,171 13,556 7,803 31,609 1-8 3-8 1-9 5-7 5-7 2-2 5-9 4,417 20,187 987 3,648 5,750 543 735 4,467 20,372 1,019 3,614 5,850 551 768 11 0-9 3-2 -0-9 1-7 1-5 4-5 Total, secondary industries (excluding seasonal) Tertiary Industry— Transport and communication (not waterside work) Distribution and finance Hotels and personal services Administration and professional .. 121,701 127,297 4-6 36,267 36,641 1-0 42,568 49,576 8,683 34,754 44,071 50,855 9,016 35,511 3-5 2-6 3-8 2-2 6,201 29,583 12,377 31,658 5,725 29,671 12,624 31,328 -7-7 0-3 2-0 -1-0 Total, tertiary industries 135,581 139,453 2-9 79,819 79,348 -0-6 Total, survey coverage (excluding working proprietors) 271,422 280,947 3-5 116,342 116,262 -0-1

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75. In the case of both males and females the number of juveniles aged fifteen to twenty years has shown a gradual decrease from a peak of 82,000 males and 79,000 females in 1941 to the present total of 77,900 males and 74,700 females. This reduction in the juvenile group is likely to continue until 1952. After 1952 it is estimated that the numbers aged fifteen to twenty years will increase. 76. Without allowing for immigration, estimates of the number of males and females aged fifteen to twenty years for each year up to 1955 are given below. These figures represent the probable numbers of survivors of persons born fifteen to twenty years previously :

77. The age-groups 50-65 for males will also be a small group over the next few years, however, so that retirements will continue to be fewer than replacements and the male labour force as a whole will continue to increase very slowly, but with a serious dearth of juveniles. The same position regarding retirements will not hold for the female labour force, which, unless assisted by immigration, will actually decrease in total. 78. The following table shows the estimated changes in the male and female labour force over the next eight years if immigration is not allowed for :

Note. —At 'the time of writing this report (April, 1947) a revision of estimated employment figures has become possible through the availability of fuller information from Half-yearly Surveys and other sources. The revised figures, which will not be completed in time for inclusion in the report, will, however, be shown in the forthcoming Half-yearly Survey of Employment, July, 1947. 79. If the present rate of industrial expansion continues, this slow increase in available man-power will be quite inadequate to cope with, the increase in demand for labour, and it will be necessary to seek out all possible expedients to add to the numbers of persons in the labour force and to increase the effectiveness with which labour can be used. 80. Immigration is the most obvious method by which a direct addition can be made to the labour force, but (as discussed in Section VI of Part I of this report) shipping meanwhile places fairly close limits on the flow of immigrants. New Zealand thus appears likely to be faced with a labour shortage for some time. In Sections II and 111 below the problems arising from this shortage are reviewed.

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Year. Juveniles aged Fifteen to Twenty : Survivors of those born Fifteen to Twenty Years previously. Males. Females. Total. 1947 77,900 74,700 152,600 1948 76,200 73,100 149,300 1949 74,600 71,700 146,300 1950 73,200 70,300 143,500 1951 72,100 69,200 141,300 1952 71,300 68,800 140,100 1953 71,600 69,400 141,000 1954 73,200 71,000 144,200 1955 76,300 74,100 150,400

Year. Estimated Labour Force (including Armed Forces). Males. Females. Total. 1947 533,000 185,000 718,000 1948 535,000 184,000 719,000 1949 537,000 183,000 720,000 1950 538,000 181,000 719,000 1955 552,000 180,000 732,000

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SECTION lI.—PROBLEMS ARISING FROM LABOUR SHORTAGE 81. On 15th October, 1946, there were 14,745 vacancies for males and 14,060 vacancies for females in units covered by the Department's October survey of employment, according to half-yearly returns submitted by employers. The distribution of these 28,805 vacancies over industry and the percentage of vacancies to pay-roll strengths in each industry are shown in the table below :

82. The addition of nearly 29,000 vacancies to the present labour force of 718,000 (including Armed Forces) gives a potential total of 747,000 jobs. The recorded vacancies are the stated requirements of individual employers. There may, therefore, be some overestimate, because individual employers are apt to make insufficient allowance for a decrease in the pressure of demand on them as the other units in the industry are able to increase staffs and production. It is also probable that duplicate orders are in many cases being placed to-day in the hope that one or another of the sources approached will be able to fulfil the order. 83. Against this, however, it must be remembered that the survey does not cover all industries or all employers, and that vacancies in some fields are reduced because of labour shortages in other fields and consequent supply difficulties. Taking all factors into consideration the figure of 747,000 is probably a good estimate of the number of workers necessary to fill all existing labour requirements. 84. Thus, since 1939, the growth of industrial labour requirements has outstripped the expansion of the labour force by about 40,000, inclusive of 12,000 unemployed absorbed into industry. On the demand side the main contributing factors have been the rapid expansion of New Zealand's secondary industries and the fairly marked development in tertiary services. On the supply side there has been a smaller inflow of juveniles into the labour force, while the raising of the school-leaving age and the retirement of workers at a younger age as a result of more liberal age and superannuation benefits have shortened the average working-life. The excesses of arrivals in New

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Males. Females. Industry. Number of Vacancies. Percentage of Payroll Strength. Number of "Vacancies. Percentage of Payroll Strength. Primary Industry (other than farming) 855 6-0 7 2-6 Secondary Industry— Food, drink, and tobacco (other than seasonal) Textiles, clothing, and leather Building materials and furnishings Engineering and metal working.. Miscellaneous manufacturing Power and water Building and construction 237 988 942 3,786 726 233 1,910 2-8 8-1 61 9-9 5-4 30 6-0 796 6,763 79 515 1,236 12 17-8 33-2 7-8 14-3 21-1 2-2 Total, secondary industry 8,822 6-9 9,401 25-7 Tertiary Industry— Transport and communication (not waterside work) Distribution and finance Hotels and personal services Administration and professional 2,872 877 252 1,067 6-5 1-7 2-8 3-0 187 1,185 960 2,320 3-3 4-0 7-6 7-4 Total, tertiary industry 5,068 3-6 4,652 5-9 Total, all units covered 14,745 5-2 14,060 12-1

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Zealand over departures, which for many years added substantial numbers to the labour force, have, since 1930, been relatively small. There has also been a serious loss to the adult labour force as a result of casualties sustained during the war. Between 1939 and 1945 casualties in the New Zealand Armed Forces in deaths alone amounted to 10,800. In view of all these factors it is not surprising that New Zealand is at present faced with an extreme shortage of labour which is seriously hampering attempts to overcome shortages of goods and services. 85. This labour shortage is not evenly distributed either industrially or geographically. The most acute shortage has developed round five thickly populated and relatively highly industrialized urban areas —Auckland, Lower Hutt, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin. Over 74 per cent, of all vacancies in October, 1946, were within these areas, where the problem has become acute and is intensified by a lack of sufficient housing accommodation, which makes it difficult for labour in less industrialized areas to move to them. Employers establishing new industries, if they are to secure sufficient labour, must therefore consider the smaller towns where reserve pools of labour can still be found. The question of decentralization of industry becomes particularly important in the light of such geographical unbalances in the overall labour shortage. In the Hutt Valley the labour shortage amounted to 18*3 per cent, of the total employed persons. Over the whole of New Zealand, outside the five areas mentioned, the shortage amounted to only 4-8 per cent. 86. Industrially, labour shortages are most severe for males in engineering and metal working industries (including Railway workshops), where there is an average of one vacancy for every ten males employed, and for females in textiles, clothing, and leather industries, where there is one vacancy for every three females employed. Shortages of male labour with serious immediate effects also exist in bush sawmilling, coal-mines, and certain industries with heavy work under relatively less attractive conditions. Over industry as a whole, the incidence of vacancies for male labour was only 5-2 per cent, in October, 1946, and if that shortage were evenly distributed no industry would be in an unduly difficult position. In distribution and finance, however, the incidence was less than 2 per cent., whereas in manufacturing industries it was over 7 per cent. Shortages of female labour showed the same tendency towards unbalances as between industries. The overall shortage was more severe than in the case of males, the incidence of vacancies for female labour being 12-1 per cent. Even so, in distribution and finance the incidence was only 4 per cent., whereas in manufacturing as a whole it was over 26 per cent. 87. Acute shortages of labour, by tending to concentrate in particular industries, thus focus attention upon selected immigration, vocational guidance, trade training, and the more complicated question of alteration of basic incentives, as offering means by which the distribution of workers between different industries can be influenced. 88. Also closely linked with labour shortages are problems of labour turnover and other causes of lost time and lowered efficiency and output. The present position has not only placed a premium on recruitment of labour; it has (while increasing the difficulty of doing so) accentuated the need to hold labour successfully and to use it efficiently. Figures for labour turnover can well become momentous under existing circumstances, and interest in this aspect of employment data is increasing. In a number of cases where the data has shown individual firms to be suffering rates of labour turnover far in excess of their competitors in the same locality some success has already been acheived in pin-pointing and remedying the causes. SECTION lII.—LINES OF APPROACH TO THE PROBLEMS 89. Alleviation of the difficulties arising out of acute labour shortage is one of New Zealand's most pressing problems at the present time. Immigration can offer no substantial relief at the moment, although plans now being drawn up are designed to provide a flow of immigrant labour to the more critical points of shortage as soon as possible,

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and thereafter to broaden the flow to other industries. The rise in the birth-rate will not bring relief to industry until after 1952, and even then the relief will be small at first. Without these two sources of additional labour any approach to the present problem must meanwhile be restricted. Nevertheless, given adequate information to work on, measures of alleviation can be taken which, in total effect, can do much towards taking the sharp edge off our difficulties. The employment information collected by the Department is already being applied to this end in various ways and through various Government activities. First we can deal with the location of reserve pools of labour as a means to decentralization of industry, the maintenance of a reconciliation between the levels of employment on public works and local labour shortages on surpluses, the maintenance of a balance between Government and non-Government building activities, transfers of labour to areas of acute shortage, and the expansion of accommodation facilities to assist such transfers. 90. An increase in available labour has been obtained by utilization of reserve pools of labour, mainly in the smaller towns. The Department is now able to maintain statistics of employment levels for ninety towns and cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Schedules are prepared and brought up to date every six months, showing the employment structure in each town, the incidence of labour shortages and surpluses, the seasonal surge in employment, and other relevant data. From this information it has been possible to forecast with satisfactory accuracy the amount of labour available in these different towns for various types of employment and to show the extent to which local unbalances require correction and the types of employment most likely to redress such unbalances. Numerous manufacturers have already made use of this information when forming plans for decentralization. It has also been used extensively in recruiting labour for the areas of more acute labour shortage, and particularly so in relation to the filling of accommodation in industrial camps and hostels. 91. Where industrial development follows the location of reserve pools of labour, the industrial interests of the smaller towns are broadened, greater employment opportunities are provided for the inhabitants, manufacturing activities benefit through reduced labour turnovers, and the pressure on the labour resources in the main centres is lessened. On the whole, the distribution of the country's industry and labour becomes more balanced. 92. By reduction of current public-works projects, labour has been released for other purposes. The correctness of maintaining a proper alignment between publicworks activity and the general employment position is recognized throughout the world to-day. Public works of national urgency must go forward even if they draw labour from other fields of employment, but there is also the type that can be either postponed for a period or carried forward, dependent on the availability of labour. Public-works projects, however, cannot as a rule be opened up or expanded at very short notice, since they require the preparation of blue prints and estimates, the letting of contracts and sub-contracts, the formation of plans, and the accumulation of the necessary plant and materials. Under a well-administered employment policy the Government can expand public works when revenues are falling, and retrench them when revenues are rising, thus tending to reduce the surplus of labour or ease the shortage of labour when necessary. 93. For these purposes, again, the availability of adequate employment information is most important if demands for labour for public works are not to clash needlessly with the requirements of other industry. In 1946 the level of employment on public works, despite banked-up arrears of work, plus extensive new development requirements, was held at approximately 10,000 below the immediately pre-war level. 94. By measuring the seasonal surge of employment in localities and the betweenseason absorptive capacity of non-seasonal industries, preparations can moreover be made for the appropriate expansion or reduction of public works in different localities in line with the availability of labour.

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95. The same information also enables temporary transfers of labour to be arranged from areas where between-seasonal employment is scarce, to areas where the men concerned can continue to make a full contribution to productive activities, action which at the same time effects large savings in the payment of unemployment benefits. 96. Knowledge of the labour available for building and construction activities, also enables demands for labour and materials to be maintained at a better balance asbetween Government and non-Government activities. 97. Information on labour shortages and the rate of expansion of industries in different localities also plays an important part in'determining where the emphasis should be placed on housing programmes, hostels, and other forms of accommodation. Careful alignment between the availability of labour and the availability of accommodation facilitates the movement of industry to areas with reserve pools of labour available or the movement of labour from such areas to industrial centres. As a rapid means of assisting alignment, special workers' camps or hostel accommodation are being provided to assist in meeting employment difficulties. The Department has established hostelsand camps in Auckland, Wellington, and Lower Hutt (see Section IY of Part I of this report). 98. While the above are the more obvious lines of action available to secure the best possible balance in our industrial activities under conditions of general labour shortage,, other lines of action have also been taken up. Thus the relationship of employment information to policy in such fields as import control, price-fixing, and stabilization is now coming under study. Employment information is also an important factor in adult trade-training policy and in vocational guidance, both of which bring influences to bear upon the inflow and distribution of the labour force. 99. Apart from activities directed towards influencing the supply and distribution of available labour, it has also been possible to take action towards securing the use of this available labour to better advantage. The placement activities of the Department, combined with its knowledge of how the employment position is developing in each area and its facilities for arranging transfers of labour and providing accommodation, have reduced the numbers of unemployed persons (including such categories as semi-fit persons, disabled persons, seasonal workers, &c.) to negligible proportions. These placement activities have also greatly reduced the number of man-hours lost by workers in changing from job to job. As a result of the availability of information on labour turnover, a number of employers, moreover, are already devoting closer attention to this problem and taking steps to reduce its dimensions. 100. The Department has also, on numerous occasions, taken special steps to assist individual employers to overcome particular bottlenecks and other difficulties and to maintain staffs and output in critical lines., SECTION IV.—UNEMPLOYMENT AND SEASONAL EMPLOYMENT 101. The past year, the second post-war year of reconstruction, has seen unemployment in this country reduced to extremely low levels. The year commenced in April, 1946, with 402 males and 24 females at that point enrolled with the Department as unemployed. The tapering-off of seasonal activities on farms, in freezing-works, dairy factories, wool-stores, &c., over the months of April to July, 1946, inclusive, resulted in heavier registrations of male workers, and particularly of unskilled men, being received. In addition, ex-servicemen, on completion of their discharge leave, were still coming to the Department in fairly large numbers over this period for assistance in locating suitable employment. The Department, however, was able to keep pace with these registrations, and 15th July of last year, which marked the peak of unemployment over the twelve months, saw only 592 males and 19 females enrolled as unemployed. Since this date the numbers enrolled at the end of each monthly period have been substantially reduced,

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until by 31st March, 1947, they totalled only 67 males and 7 females, including 43 semi-employable persons. As compared with some 25,022 placements effected by the Department in the twelve months, the number of those remaining registered at the end of March, 1947 was very small. For males, with an estimated working population of 520,000 in the Dominion (excluding Armed Forces), this means that only one person out of every 7,700 workers was unemployed at this date. For female workers the rate of unemployment is infinitesimal. The so-called " hard core " of unemployment, or the previously considered irreducible minimum, below which it had formerly been thought no reduction in the numbers of unemployed could be effected, has thus to-day been almost entirely eliminated. 102. One of the important aspects of the Department's work in the past twelve months has been that of locating suitable jobs for semi-employable workers who, by reason of physical disabilities, chronic ill health, or other such causes, are unable to perform work up to the standard of the physically fit. Special endeavours made on behalf of these workers in this period resulted in 950 being placed, including numbers of disabled ex-servicemen. A notable feature leading to the success of these efforts has been the ready co-operation on the part of a number of employers, without whose assistance considerable difficulties would otherwise have arisen. 103. Table 2 in the Appendix to this report sets out, by districts, the numbers of disengaged men remaining enrolled with the Department at monthly intervals and of disengaged women at quarterly intervals. A notable feature in the earlier portion of the period under review, when seasonal work was falling off, was the possibility of small pockets of unemployment developing in" those districts where off-seasonal employment was relatively limited—e.g., Rotorua and Gisborne districts in the North Island, and Blenheim district in the South Island. To offset the position in these districts it was found necessary, to a limited extent, to tap the reservoir of public-works projects held in reserve. In addition, a number of enrolees who were prepared to accept employment in other districts transferred to the city areas where the shortages of labour were most acute. As a result, unemployment was kept in check throughout the winter months. 104. Table 7 in the Appendix to this report sets out the male labour force engaged in seasonal industries, other than farming, at monthly intervals between August, 1946, and March, 1947, in each of the twenty-five employment districts. The following table shows the male labour strength engaged in individual seasonal industries at monthly intervals as stated by employers in returns to the Department: —

* Maximum number engaged during months covered by table, t Minimum number engaged during months covered by table. t Includes freezing-works, abbatoirs, ham and bacon curing, meat cool-stores, meat-dehydration, meat-canning, casing- works, sausage-making, and also fish canning, curing, and preserving.

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Male Labour Force engaged in Seasonal Industries (other than Farming), August, 1946, to March, 1947. 15th of Month. Meat processing, freezing and preserving J. Dairy , Factories. Wool-stores. Fruit and Vegetable preserving. Threshingmills and Chaff-cutting Totals. 1946 August .. September October November December 1947 January February March 8,314 8,136 f 7,885 8,797 12,773 *16,290 16,197 15,582 f2,469 3,232 3,785 3,952 *3,963 3,959 3,731 3,500 f856 925 968 1,545 1,986 *2,096 1,938 1,996 643 610 f562 587 601 587 611 *659 65 58 37 25 fl4 41 250 *299 f12,347 12,961 13,237 14,906 19,337 *22,973 22,727 22,036

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105. This table shows the ebb and peak periods of activity in each of the seasonal industries. The three major industries (meat processing, freezing and preserving, dairy factories and wool-stores) built up their male staff by 8,405, 1,494, and 1,240 respectively over the period of their seasonal expansion during the 1946-47 season. For all of the seasonal industries shown in the table, the'additional number of male workers absorbed between mid-August, 1946, and mid-January, 1947, was 10,626. The variation in the case of women seasonal workers in these industries is very small, totalling no more than 200 between the ebb and peak periods of employment. In addition, substantial numbers of male and female workers engage each year in seasonal farming activities such as harvesting, haymaking, fruit-picking, market gardening, shearing, &c. No accurate figures are available showing the fluctuations between the peak and trough periods of employment in seasonal farm work. Many of these workers, however, are youths and women, not otherwise engaged, who take up this work only for the duration of the harvesting operations. 106. A noticeable variation occurs from district to district in the time when activity is at a peak in the seasonal industries covered in the above table. In the majority of the North Island districts January, 1947, was the month of greatest activity, while in the South Island districts, March, 1947, was the most active month. Individual districts, however, ranged over the months of November, 1946, to April, 1947. The major seasonal industry (other than farming) affecting the position from month to month is the meat freezing industry with thirty-three freezing-works spread throughout the country. Considerable variation in the peak period is shown from district to district, but the general pattern, during the 1946-47 killing season, was maximum activity in January, 1947, in the northern districts, February in the Southern North Island works, March in Otago, while in the Southland works it came as late as April in 1947. SECTION V.—MAORI EMPLOYMENT 107. While employment has been found throughout the year for Maoris enrolling with the Department for work it cannot be said that the general employment position as it affects the Maori race is yet satisfactory. The 1945 census gives the Maori population of the Dominion as 97,263, of whom 94,488 are located in the North Island. The estimated distribution of the North - Island Maoris over employment districts is as follows :

108. It is known that in the Whangarei, Rotorua, and Gisborne districts in particular there are substantial numbers of Maoris of working age and of both sexes, especially in the more isolated parts, who, though not enrolled as seeking employment, are nevertheless not gainfully employed or are engaged only intermittently in casual employment. This is well illustrated by the results of a recent survey of the Kaikohe area, which showed that within a radius of twenty miles from Kaikohe there were 57 males and 29 females under twenty-one years and 153 males and 12' females over twenty-one years who, while fit for permanent employment, were in casual work or at leisure.

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Employment District. Maori Population. Employment District. Maori Population. Whangarei Auckland Hamilton Paeroa Rotorua Taumarunui 20,770 7,560 11,620 4,190 15,560 2,190 Gisborne Hastings-Napier New Plymouth Wanganui Palmerston North, Masterton, Lower Hutt, Wellington 14,320 3,810 3,800 3,710 6,958

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109. It is estimated that 46 per cent, of the Maori population is under fifteen years of age, and that at the present rate of growth the total Maori population will exceed 130,000 by 1955 and 170,000 by 1965. It is known that the opportunities for Maori school-leavers (including many with several years of secondary education) to enter full-time permanent employment are very restricted in most of the Maori populated areas. 110. Questions bound up with the problem of Maori employment include the extent to which the solution will be found in settlement of Maoris on the land, the taking of industry to the Maori populated areas, and the bringing of Maoris to the centres of European population where greater employment opportunities exist. The latter course raises the further question of provision of accommodation in such centres, and the dispelling of any prejudice against the employment of Maoris. 111. It is interesting to record that the reliability and standard of service of Maori workers in the town of Whangarei was the subject of a special survey during the past twelve months, which revealed that Maori workers in Whangarei compared well with European workers in stability, competence, and reliability. Cases to the contrary appeared to be no more prevalent amongst Maoris than they are amongst non-Maoris. 112. The broader problem of Maori employment outlined above continues to engage the attention of the Department. Apart from this broad problem of expanding employment opportunities, in alignment with increasing population, there have been various local problems requiring attention throughout the year. The employment districts mainly concerned with the placement of Maoris are Whangarei, Rotorua, and Gisborne. (а) In the Whangarei district no serious difficulties were experienced in finding employment for Maoris. Frictional (between-job) unemployment, due to available work being largely seasonal or casual, was more noticeable in centres of Maori population, but, even so, was of brief duration in most, cases. (б) In the Rotorua district the position was somewhat more difficult, and sustained efforts werenecessary to maintain continuity of work for Maori men and youths throughout the year. With theapproach of winter in 1946 the difficulty of placing men enrolling for employment became more intense, and arrangements were made with the Ministry of Works for the opening-up of scheduled but hithertodeferred works projects in certain localities to absorb men who could not otherwise be placed between, seasons. By September, 1946, 350 men, almost all Maoris, had been placed. Of these, 175 had been placed on public-works projects in the district, 70 had been found employment in forestry and sawmilling work, 40 had been placed on farms and in other types of employment in the district, while 45had been placed in cheese-factories in the Taranaki district. . (c) Maori employment also presented a problem in the Gisborne employment district during the-off-season. In this area large numbers of Maoris engage in seasonal occupations—particularly freezingworks and shearing—and the industrial structure of the district, lacking as it does a diversity of secondary industry, militates against the off-season absorption locally of the many workers laid off" as seasonal activity diminishes. Special efforts to maintain continuity of employment for 451 men, again mainly Maoris, were necessary. The position was met during the past year by the opening-up of public-works and local-body projects, and by transfers of men to vacancies existing in other districts—mainly Wellington and Lower Hutt, where accommodation was provided in the Department's industrial, workers' camps. Of the men so placed during the season, additional to men placed in vacancies, 278 were given employment on public works, 101 on local-body works, and 72 by transfer to otherdistricts.

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PART lII.—DISTRICT BY DISTRICT EMPLOYMENT POSITION OVER THE TWELVE MONTHS Whangarei District (Estimated male labour force, 21,300) 113. Male employment in this district is largely centred on farming and other extractive industries such as bush sawmilling and coal-mining, building and construction,, transport, shops and other servicing industries, and a rather restricted range of manufacturing industries, including cement-works, potteries, vehicle and cycle repairing, &c. Female employment mainly centres on shops and offices, hospitals, hotels, and catering establishments, with only some 200 women engaged in manufacturing industries. The seasonal variation in male employment between the peak and ebb periods of activity totals some 200 in the freezing-works and nearly 100 in dairy factories. Farming also contributes to the seasonal fluctuation in employment. While the past year has seen some expansion of existing undertakings and the commencement to a limited extent of construction of new premises, the further potentialities of this district for the expansion and decentralization of industry are considered to be particularly good. Of some 66,000 persons living in the Whangarei employment district approximately 20,000 are Maoris. The next few years will see increasing numbers of Maori youths becoming available for employment, and to-day there is a great opportunity for the establishment of new industries drawing upon Maori labour. A survey has shown Maori labour in this district to be equal in competence and reliability with non-Maori labour. New industries are urgently needed to absorb the increasing population. The Department latterly has undertaken extensive contact work with the Maoris in the district and has been studying closely the question of establishing suitable industries in the Northland region. Vacancies for male labour increased from 30 on Ist April, 1946, to 96 by 31st July, 1946, but were down to 38 on 31st March, 1947 (25 for skilled men, 6 only for unskilled men, and 7 for juveniles). Female vacancies similarly rose from 33 on Ist April, 1946, to 82 on 30th September, 1946, but fell to 38 by 31st March, 1947 (16 for skilled and 16 for unskilled workers, plus 6 for juveniles). Male vacancies in farming reached a peak of 20 on 31st August, 1946, but were down to 2 by 31st March, 1947. Calls from dairy-farmers were mainly for single men, with youths required in most cases. Demands for male labour for building and construction fluctuated throughout the period, reaching a peak of 27 on 31st January, 1947. By the end of March, 1947, they were down to 7, including 6 vacancies for tradesmen. Hospitals have suffered the greatest shortage of labour in the district. Female vacancies climbed to 49 by 30th September, 1946, and still stood at 25 on 31st March, 1947, including 22 for nurses and 3 for domestic staff. Trained nurses, trainees, and nursing aides, have been most in demand. Floods in the early part of the year seriously affected roads in the district and necessitated extensive repair work. Farming operations and work in at least one coal-mine were delayed as a result of these floods. The district also suffered a loss through fire destroying part of the buildings of the Kamo Potteries, with a resultant reduction in output of fire-bricks. Auckland District (Estimated male labour force, 98,600) 114. In this district, which has by far the largest working population of any of the twenty-five employment districts, the shortage of labour, both male and female, has remained particularly acute during the past twelve months. Speedy placement of all enrollees seeking employment have enabled the numbers remaining registered with the Department at the end of each monthly period to be kept at a minimum and to be reduced from 55 males and 8 females at Ist April, 1946, to only 2 males and no females at 31st March, 1947. Vacancies notified to the Department range over almost every industry. Male notified vacancies, though fluctuating from month to month, have shown a steadily upward trend from 1,640 at Ist April, 1946, to 2,584 at 31st March, 1947. Vacancies for skilled workers remained fairly constant throughout the period, totalling 718 at 31st March, 1947, a reduction of 28 from the total of twelve months earlier. Increasing demand for male labour has been mainly for unskilled and juvenile labour, as is evidenced by the rise in unskilled vacancies from 592 at Ist April, 1946, to 1,115 at 31st March, 1947, and in those for juveniles from 302 to 751 over the same period. Female notified vacancies, after rising from 3,107 at Ist April, 1946, to a peak of 3,858

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in September, 1946, dropped to 2,934 by 31st March, 1947. Nevertheless, the demand still remains very heavy. A substantial drop in vacancies for skilled employees from 1,912 at Ist April, 1946, to 1,134 at 31st March, 1947, was largely offset by increasing demands for unskilled and juvenile female workers, unskilled vacancies rising from 1,042 to 1,205 and juvenile vacancies from 153 to 595 over the twelve months. While shortage of labour is acute within the Auckland district there are areas on either side where labour, particularly Maori labour, is relatively plentiful, and a number of Auckland manufacturers have shown interest in the possibilities of decentralizing to such areas. 115. The position in some of the more important industries is briefly reviewed below. Engineering and Metal-working Group.—lndustries in this group have shown marked activity over the twelve months. Work on hand has continued to bank up, and this, coupled with expansions of premises which have taken place, has resulted in a rise in male notified vacancies from 269 in April, 1946, to 862 at the end of March, 1947. These include 371 vacancies in the Railway Workshops at Otahuhu. Approximately half of the vacancies are for skilled men, the balance consisting of 239 vacancies for unskilled men and 190 for juveniles. Building and Construction. —Vacancies in the district have been largely influenced by the labour requirements of hydro-electric construction. At peak they touched 488 in June, 1946, but fell away to 108 in November. In general there has since been a tendency for vacancies to rise slowly again in recent months, but only 157 were recorded at the end of March, 1947, including 88 for skilled men. Freezing-works.—The very heavy seasonal demand for labour by the three works in this district provided some difficulties during the months of December, 1946, and January, 1947, when the killing season was at its height. Every possible assistance was given to the industry, and, despite some shortages, the works were able to get through the height of the season satisfactorily. Fertilizer-works, Tanneries, Brickworks, &c.—The demands for labour in these industries, where much of the work is heavy and relatively less attractive, continued at a fairly high level. Recruitments were offset considerably by the comparatively high rates of labour turnover to be expected in such types of work. The provision of departmental camps at Waikaraka and Mangere has, however, enabled the position in these industries to be eased. Vacancies at 31st March, 1947, remained as follows : fertilizer and other chemical by-products works, 82 ; tanneries, 53 ; brickworks, &c., 60. ~ Clothing-manufacture.—Despite a reduction in female notified vacancies from 1,752 at Ist April, 1946, to 1,387 at 31st March, 1947, the demand for female labour, and particularly for machinists, remains acute in the majority of the clothing-factories in this district. The 1,387 vacancies still on hand at the end of March totalled nearly one-half of all female vacancies. Other Industries. —While the industries mentioned above have shown particular shortages, almost all manufacturing industries within the Auckland urban area have been affected by the over-all shortage of labour. Footwear-factories have continued to be short to the extent of over 200 females, while shortages have also been acute in woollen-mill and other textile industries. In the non-manufacturing field the staffing of hospitals has remained difficult with 200 female vacancies still standing on 31st March, 1947, although some headway has been made in improving the position. For males the Railways and the Post and Telegraph Departments show substantial shortages. Outside the urban area the position has not been so difficult. The substantial labour requirements of dairy factories were satisfactorily met throughout the season, while notified vacancies in farming at no point exceeded 130. Throughout the year the shortage of coal and gas supplies has resulted in some hampering of production in those industries dependent upon these forms of combustion. Hamilton Distriet (Estimated male labour force, 36,500) 116. Hamilton district is an important dairy-farming area, and dairy-factories, at the height of the season, require nearly 650 men. Other farming activities include apiaries, vineyards, sheep and pig farms, while the Horotiu Freezing-works, at its peak, employs approximately 700 males. Coal-mines with nearly 1,650 employees, as well as brick-manufacture, are a feature of the Huntly area, while elsewhere sawmills, potteries, and lime, serpentine, and fertilizer works are in operation. Secondary industries in the district had a male pay-roll strength in October, 1946, of over 5,600. The building and construction industry employs nearly 2,400 male workers, while engineering and metal working industries employ approximately 1,200 males. Recent months have seen the completion of the hydro-electric installation at Karapiro, while another is under

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construction at Maraetai. These two works together employed, at the height of their activity, a constructional staff of about 1,200. During the period under review new undertakings have been established in the district, and expansion of existing industries has taken place. The district offers further scope to firms seeking avenues of decentralization. Vacancies for male labour declined from over 500 in June, 1946, to 370 by the end of March, 1947. However, within this over-all trend, various fluctuations in the industrial composition of vacancies occurred. Farming vacancies rose from 2in April, 1946, to 57 by 31st August, 1946, and declined to son 31st Maroh, 1947. In dairy factories the demand was greatest in August, 1946, when 115 vacancies were notified to the Department, but by the end of March, 1947, these vacancies were down to 11. The highest number of female vacancies notified to the Department (201), occurred in January, 1947, and the lowest number (122) in July, 1946. On 31st March, 1947, vacancies for female labour totalled 133. Approximately one-half of these vacancies were in hospitals (65 in March, 1947). In hotels and catering establishments female vacancies varied around 40 for most of the year, but declined to 24 by 31st March, 1947. The majority of the calls throughout the year for farm labour were satisfied, although, at the height of the dairy season, unsatisfied farm vacancies reached a total of 57. The rise in seasonal activities brought a substantial increase in the demand for labour in dairy factories. In some cases lack of accommodation for married men made vacancies difficult to fill. In many factories a considerable amount of overtime was necessary during parts of the season. •' In coal-mining a steady demand for truckers and hewers was evident, but shortage of accommodation in mining townships has been a retarding factor in satisfying the full requirements for labour. Vacancies in coal-mines on 31st March, 1947, totalled 79 (30 for skilled and 49 for unskilled men). Plans now afoot for the erection of a hostel at Huntly should enable these demands for labour to be more fully met in due course. Although continued expansion of engineering and metal working industries occurred throughout the period under review, vacancies were not unduly numerous, fluctuating between 30 and 40 over the twelve months. Male vacancies in building and construction reached a peak of 152 on 31st May, 1946, but have since eased off to 111 by the end of March, 1947 (98 for skilled tradesmen). Taumarunui District (Estimated male labour force, 3,900) 1171 Bush sawmilling, with more than 1,150 men engaged, is the major extractive industry in the district. Coal-mining, and the transport industries (particularly Railways), building and construction, and the limited secondary industries, including building materials and furnishings, provide most of the remaining avenues of employment for the male worker. Mixed farming is also carried on in the district. ISFo winter seasonal employment problem arises in this district. The range of work open to females is comparatively limited. Retail shops, hotels, hospitals, and other servicing industries employ somewhat less than 450 women. A noticeable feature of late, however, has been the examination of the district by firms interested in the possibilities of decentralization. The King-country Electric-power Board, which commenced during the year, is engaged in constructing power-lines and reticulation work in the Taumarunui, Ohura, and Kaitieke Counties. Approximately one-half of the reported demand for male workers throughout the past year was in the bush sawmilling industry. At 31st March, 1947, male notified vacancies totalled 111 (70 for skilled men, 30 for unskilled men, and 11 for juveniles). At the end of March, 1947, the bush sawmilling industry still required 54 men, including 34 skilled workers, despite an increase of 73 in pay-roll strength between April and October, 1946. Skilled bushmen, cross-cutters, and mill hands are particularly required. New mills with well-planned modern community centres are now being erected in the vicinity of the Pureora State Forest Service plantations, while other mills are expanding their activities. The building and construction industry had vacancies on 31st March, 1947, for 29 men, including 18 for tradesmen. Vacancies in the Railways Department numbered 34 on 31st October* 1946, men being required for the locomotive, traffic, and maintenance staffs. Farming vacancies on 31st March, 1947, totalled 11. Small numbers of vacancies exist in various other industries. Female vacancies in this district remained fairly constant over the past twelve months ; at 31st March, 1947, they numbered 25, of which 17 were in hospitals (14 for trained nurses and trainees and 3 for domestic staff). y

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Paeroa District (Estimated male labour force, 11,600) 118. Dairy and other farming, together with gold-mining, are the major primary industries in the district, while forestry, bush sawmilling, and quarrying also play an important part. Nearly 750 male workers are engaged in secondary industries, of which the engineering group —i.e., general engineering, electrical manufacture, and vehicle and cycle repair—is the most important. Building and construction, transport, shops and offices require their quota of male employees, while dairy factories, with a peak of nearly 300 men, including some 100 male seasonal employees, are also of importance. Eor females, hospitals, hotels, shops, and other servicing industries, together with clothing, footwear, electrical, and toy manufacture provide the main avenues of employment. Further decentralization of activities from the Auckland urban area to Paeroa, Thames, and Waihi took place during the past twelve months, while the •construction of a new timber-mill at Paeroa was completed. Notified vacancies for males rose from 84 on Ist April, 1946, to 144 by 31st October, 1946, but fell to 92 on 31st March, 1947 (78 for skilled and 14 for unskilled men, no juveniles being required at this date). Female vacancies declined over the period from 83 on Ist April, 1946, to 60 by 31st March, 1947 (12 for skilled and 8 for unskilled workers, together with 40 for juveniles). Male notified vacancies on farms during the earlier part of the dairy season reached a maximum of only 18 on 30th September, 1946, and were down to 2by 31st March, 1947. Most calls were for single farm hands and were not easily met. Vacancies offering married accommodation were, however, quickly satisfied. The demand for labour in dairy factories reached a peak on 30th September, 1946, when male vacancies totalled 49. By the height of the season in December, 1946, vacancies had been reduced to 25, and on 31st March, 1947, were down to 6. Thames is the centre of engineering and metal-working industries in the district. Male vacancies in these industries rose from 9 on 30th September, 1946, to 66 by 31st October, 1946, and still totalled 59 on 31st March, 1947. All of these latter vacancies were for skilled engineering tradesmen. The demand for female labour in clothing-factories remained fairly constant throughout the past twelve months, but the 40 vacancies recorded on 31st March, 1947, were all for juveniles. On 31st March, 1947, the building and construction industry was seeking 11 building tradesmen. Hospital vacancies were slowly reduced from 21 on Ist April, 1946, to 12 by 31st March, 1947 (6 for nurses and 6 for domestic workers). The gold-mining industry is most important in Waihi, and for the past twelve months the number of employees has been maintained. At the end of March, 1947, vacancies notified to the Department totalled 9, mainly for fit unskilled men prepared to undertake undergound work. It is known, however, that this industry could absorb many more experienced men if they were available. Rotorua District (Estimated male labour force, 15,400) 119. Apart from farming activities, this district employs approximately 2,100 male workers in bush sawmilling and afforestation industries, 1,400 in building and construction, 800 in transport and communication, 1,900 in shops, offices, and other services, and 1,200 in manufacturing industries. Seasonal fluctuations are slight, being confined to haymaking, maize-picking, shearing, and some dairy factories. Early in the year it became clear that strenuous efforts would be necessary to maintain continuity of employment for male labour in this district. Public-works activity, curtailed during the war years, had not expanded since, while Native development schemes, through shortages of fertilizer and other essential materials, were reducing staff. Both had been important employing agencies prior to the war. There were fairly heavy enrolments for employment (particularly of Maoris) consequent upon demobilization and the return to the district of persons who had been working elsewhere during the war. As far as possible these men were placed in available employment in the district, afforestation in particular absorbing 60, but despite this the numbers of males seeking work rose from 9 on Ist April, 1946, to 110 on 31st July, 1946. To assist the position, arrangements were made for the commencement of scheduled but hitherto deferred highways-improvement projects, which absorbed over 150 men. In addition, many of the enrollees evinced willingness to accept work in other districts. More than 50 Maori unskilled workers (including a number who had previously gone on to public works) were transferred to dairy factories in Taranaki as soon as the season took up. On 31st March, 1947, the numbers seeking work in the district stood at only 10 males and no females. This district is much in need of further industrial enterprise of a permanent nature to provide local employment for both the present male adult Maori workers and the growing number of Maori youths who will be seeking employment in the years ahead.

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The labour requirements of the bush sawmilling industry have remained at a high level throughout the past twelve months, the most acute demand being for skilled bush and mill workers. Nevertheless, it is noteworthy that the number of mills operating in the district is increasing, and no less than six new concerns have either commenced or will begin cutting shortly. Vacancies for males rose from 41 at Ist April, 1946, to 85 on 30th November, 1946, and had again fallen to 40 by 31st March, 1947. Gisborne District (Estimated male labour force, 14,800) 120. Farming (mainly sheep) and the related seasonal industries of freezing-works, wool-stores, wool-scouring, and dairy factories are the most important employing industries in this district, while building, transport, and servicing industries, and a small amount of manufacturing, give employment opportunities in other fields. Bach year the ebb of seasonal employment creates a special problem in this district, where sufficient between-season employment is not available in other industries. The surge in seasonal employment amounts to some 600 males. With heavy enrolments of male workers towards the close of the 1945-46 season, and with additional ex-servicemen still coming off pay and seeking employment, considerable effort was necessary to prevent winter unemployment developing. Every avenue of local employment was fully explored, and a number of the men were thus successfully placed. A number more were transferred to other districts, particularly Wellington, where many of them were accommodated in the Department's industrial workers' camps. An expansion of work on the Cook County Council's drainage scheme absorbed another 100 men, and the opening-up of limited public-works projects absorbed up to 100 more. As a result, the numbers enrolled for employment were kept within close limits. At 31st March, 1947, only 1 man and 1 woman were enrolled. It is fairly evident that this district is in need of a greater diversity of industry to promote a better balance between seasonal and non-seasonal employment. The district has considerable reserves of available labour, including Maori labour, and from this point of view offers excellent scope to decentralizing industries, particularly those requiring male labour. While industry is reasonably well placed for female labour there is little doubt that, were further accommodation available in Gisborne for girls living in other parts of the district, greater numbers of female workers would become available for absorption into manufacturing and other industrial enterprises in the urban area. Napier District (Estimated male labour force, 7,700) 121. During the period under review several new undertakings commenced operations, while further extensions to existing concerns were effected. This district offers scope for decentralizing industries, and during recent months there has been rising interest in this on the part of manufacturers from the larger centres. It seems likely that buildings used for the storage of the stock pile wool during the war years may be cleared in the near future and become available for business and industrial purposes. Furthermore, local bodies have agreed with the Town-planning Board on an area of expansion which makes provision for light and heavy industries with contiguous housing .accommodation. Napier is the port for a rich pastoral district, and, as might be expected, the seasonal demand for shearers and wool-store employees is of some importance. Nearly 360 males were employed in the wool-stores last December at the peak of the season ; this was the largest total of workers engaged in wool-stores in any district in New Zealand. Notified male vacancies in the district (with some seasonal fluctuations) have shown a generally rising tendency from 41 in April, 1946, to 124 by the end of March, 1947. Female vacancies increased from 15 in April, 1946, to 117 by 31st March, 1947. These vacancies, throughout most of the year, were spread over a number of industries, with hospital vacancies as the largest group (23 all for domestic staff on 31st March, 1947). Towards the end of the year, however, there was a marked increase in demand for factory operatives, required mainly for tobacco-manufacturing. During the months of May to August of last year, when seasonal undertakings in Hawke's Bay were at their ebb, some difficulties arose in the placement of unskilled male enrollees in between-season employment. Limited public-works jobs (scheduled but hitherto deferred) were opened up. In addition, labour was absorbed by the State Hydro-electric Department on the erection of power pylons and on the Napier Harbour breakwater and slip clearance jobs. The numbers seeking work were successfully held to a peak of only 41 in June, and by 31st March, 1947, enrolments were down to 4 males.

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Hastings District (Estimated male labour force, 10,300) 122. This district is largely a primary producing one requiring a large pool of seasonal workers to cope with the volume of work offering in freezing-works, orchards, cool stores, harvesting, market gardening, fruit and vegetable canneries, dehydration and pulping, &c. Seasonal industries, other than farming, absorbed between October, 1946, and January, 1947 (the ebb and peak months of last season), an additional 820 male employees. While, therefore, there is abundant work offering during the season, employment between seasons is somewhat difficult to obtain. Enrolments of male workers seeking employment were held to a peak of only 41 on the 31st May, 1946. The majority of men coming out of seasonal work were found alternative employment in the district with some recourse to public-works and local-authorities projects which took on additional men over the winter months. Secondary industries in the district are also of importance, affording employment to approximately 1,650 male and 300 female workers. General and motor engineering, building and construction, furnishings and other wood-manufacturing, town sawmilling, lime-works, printing, beverage industries, clothing-factories, &c., all offer a diversity of employment opportunities and assist substantially towards balancing the seasonal surge in employment. Other avenues of employment include transport and distributing industries, hospitals, hotel and catering establishments, and the provision of various other services. Male vacancies in April, 1946, numbered 30, and at the end of March, 1947, totalled 47. The up-surge of seasonal activities, particularly in the freezing-works and on farms, however, brought vacancies to 218 on 31st October, 1946, and to a peak of 276 by the end of November. Female vacancies totalled 47 in April, 1946, and 25 on 31st'March, 1947. Peak notifications, with 91 vacancies at the end of November, 1946, were again a reflection of fluctuations in seasonal work, particularly in the local canning works. Male notified vacancies in freezing-works reached a peak of 140 on the 30th November, 1946, fell to 15 by 31st January, 1947, rose to 45 on the 28th February, 1947, and were down to nil by the end of March, 1947. Lack of accommodation rendered it difficult to assist the works in obtaining their full requirements of suitable labour, and particularly of slaughtermen, who were most urgently in demand over the season. Male vacancies in all farming activities rose from 15 in April, 1946, to a peak of 66 on 30th November, 1946, but had fallen to 27 by 31st March, 1947 (13 on sheep-farms and 14 on orchards and other farms). The position regarding female vacancies in hospitals has fluctuated considerably, but a fairly steady demand for additional nursing and domestic staff continues. New Plymouth District (Estimated male labour force, 21,000) 123. Although dairy and other farming activities, with their attendant seasonal industries, are preponderant, this district also offers a variety of employment opportunities to the male worker in many other industries. General and motor engineering, electrical manufacture, building and allied trades, furniture and cabinetmaking, fertilizer-works, printing, power-supply, transport, shops and offices, &c., all offer employment opportunities and offset very considerably the instability of seasonal employment. The seasonal surge in dairy factory employment is nearly 500, and in the freezing-works approximately 300, but even so the employment position remained satisfactory over the winter months, although considerable placement efforts were at times necessary. At 30th April, 1946, enrolments totalled 32 males and 3 females. These were reduced to 7 males and 2 females by 31st March, 1947. Female employment opportunities group mainly around shops and offices, hospitals, hotels and restaurants and other servicing industries, clothing-factories, printing, and a number of other smaller secondary industries. Demands for both male and female workers have been rising in the past twelve months. Male vacancies totalled 87 at Ist April, 1946. By 31st March, 1947, they numbered 175 (50 for skilled men, 93 for unskilled men, and 32 for juveniles). Female vacancies rose, in the same period, from 54 to 180. Peak figures for farming vacancies for males reached only 22 at 31st August, 1946, and stood at Bon 31st March, 1947. Unsatisfied vacancies for male workers in dairy factories reached a peak of 66 by 15th September, 1946. All possible help was given to dairy factories throughout the season, the transfer of Maoris from the Rotorua region being of considerable assistance. The Waitara

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Freezing-works, although experiencing some shortage, was fairly adequately staffed throughout the season. Accommodation problems at these works and at a number of the dairy factories in Taranaki increased the difficulty of providing labour, but plans now afoot to provide accommodation for 50 single men at the freezing-works and for houses at some of the dairy factories should materially assist the position in the future. General, motor, and other engineering vacancies have steadily risen from 16 at Ist April, 1946, to 50 at 31st March, 1947 (31 for engineering tradesmen, 15 for unskilled workers, and 4 for juveniles). Vacancies in the building industry showed limited variations over the period, due mainly to the uncertainty in the supply of building materials. They totalled 18 at 31st March, 1947, including 7 for tradesmen. At the same date the Post and Telegraph Department required 20 unskilled men; retail shops sought 16 men ; and the Railways Department had vacancies for 14 males, including 13 juveniles. Female vacancies in clothing factories climbed from 13 at Ist April, 1946, to 54 by 31st March, 1947. After remaining at fairly low levels for most of the year, vacancies in hospitals rose steeply from 9 at 31st January, 1947, to 54 by 31st March, 1947. Wanganui District (Estimated male labour force, 17,600) 124. This district presents a well-balanced range of industrial activities with primary, secondary and tertiary industries each of importance and offering considerable scope for employment of both male and female workers. Nevertheless, there are considerable seasonal fluctuations between summer and winter employment in farming, freezingworks, dairy factories, and wool-stores. The seasonal surge in such industries, other than farming, during the past year amounted to some 650 male workers. The majority of these were able to secure alternative between-season employment either through the Department or otherwise in various local industries. Railway-construction gangs in the district were adequately manned during the winter months, and only to a very limited extent were men placed with the Public Works Department. Enrolments were kept at a minimum, reaching a peak of only 17 males seeking work at 30th June, 1946. In August approximately 40 men were engaged for work connected with the encroachment of the sea into the Wanganui Harbour protective works. Secondary industries are particularly well represented in the district and offer a wide scope of employment opportunities in engineering and metal working, building and construction, fertilizerworks, furniture-making and woodworking, town sawmilling, printing, clothing and footwear factories, woollen-mills, bread bakeries, beverage industries, tanneries, and glass works, &c. Male vacancies showed considerable fluctuation over the past year, largely as a result of substantial variations in the demand for unskilled men; the general trend was upwards with 107 vacancies on Ist April, 1946, and 167 at the end of March, 1947. For female workers vacancies rose from 58 to 94 over the same period. Skilled, unskilled, and juvenile female workers were all in greater demand than twelve months earlier. Notified male vacancies in farming reached a maximum of 28 on 30th September, 1946, but were down to 12 by 31st March, 1947. Sheep-farming vacancies mainly required experienced men, while very few calls for assistance were forthcoming from dairy-farms. Few demands for shearers were received. Vacancies in building and construction rose to a maximum of 169 by 31st May, 1946, with unskilled men for railway-construction, public works, &c., mostly in demand at this period, but by 31st March, 1947, they were down to 10. The demand for labour in engineering and metal working industries reached a peak on 30th November, 1946, with 29 vacancies, falling to 20 by 31st March, 1947 (3 for general engineering, 12 in the Railway Workshops, and 5 for motor engineering). On 31st March, 1947, 42 female workers were required in clothing and textile industries (32 in •clothing-factories and 10 in woollen-mills), while hospitals required 24 female workers on the same date. Palmerston North District (Estimated male labour force, 23,900) 125. The past twelve months have indicated considerable expansion in industry both on the outskirts of Palmerston North urban area and in a number of the smaller towns throughout the district. Some fifteen new factories, each offering, employment for small numbers of employees, have commenced during this period, while existing

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units are in a number of cases contemplating expansions. With the possibility of additional industrial premises being erected in the near future further expansion of industrial activity in the district is likely. Seasonal fluctuations of employment in the district influenced the movement of male unskilled vacancies over the period, but the general trend was a downward one from 140 at Ist April, 1946, to 76 on 31st March, 1947. Demands for skilled men showed some variation over the period, but totalled 68 at Ist April, 1946, and 61 at 31st March, 1947. Male vacancies for juveniles reached a peak of 47 in October, 1946, but fell to 22 by 31st March, 1947. Female notified vacancies remained at a fairly constant level over the period totalling 228 on 31st March, 1947, compared with 255 twelve months earlier. Vacancies for juveniles stood at 71 and skilled vacancies at 56 on 31st March, 1947. Only limited demands for farm labour have been forthcoming, and these were largely for single men or youths. On the other hand, vacancies offering accommodation to married farm workers have been extremely difficult to locate, even for men with considerable experience. Vacancies for male labour in building and construction have varied considerably over the period—e.g., 19 at 30th April, 1946, 73 at 31st October, 1946, and 35 at 31st March, 1947. Four out of every five of the vacancies at the latter date were for tradesmen. Engineering tradesmen have remained steadily in demand and the 29 vacancies on 31't March, 1947, included 24 for tradesmen. Both of the freezing-works in the district recruited adequate labour to man the chains during the height of the season. The Feilding Works could, however, have absorbed up to 30 more had men been available. All possible assistance was given, but accommodation difficulties restricted the possibility of meeting the full requirements of this works. Female vacancies in clothing and textile industries accounted throughout the period for at least one-half of all female vacancies in the district. At 31st March, 1947, the 116 vacancies included 55 in clothing-factories, 18 in woollen-mills, and 43 in the manufacture of other textile articles. Skilled workers and juveniles were mostly in demand. Hospital vacancies remained fairly constant (32 at 31st March, 1947), while those in hotels and restaurants steadily declined from a peak of 51 at 30th June, 1946, to 23 at 31st March, 1947. Masterton District (Estimated male labour force, 10,600) 126. This district, with predominant sheep and dairy farming activities and their related seasonal industries, also experiences considerable fluctuations in employment. Dairy factories require male employees from August onwards, with a gradual build-up of labour, while operations commence in the freezing-works early in December. During last season's operations a number of the dairy factories experienced difficulties in obtaining the full complement of labour desired, while the freezing-works remained short of its full requirements until the end of shearing operations released labour from that source. On the other hand, local employment was difficult to find during the winter, but the absorption of some 20 men on public works, plus a close and continuous exploration of all other avenues of employment, enabled the position to be fully met. Female workers have been in keen demand for clothing-factories and hospitals, but few female vacancies were notified during the year in other industries. There is evidence of some decentralization of industry to this district, and several small factories have opened recently. Notifications of vacancies for male workers in dairy factories reached a peak of 23 on 15th November, 1946. The Department has met the need for further accommodation at a number of the dairy factories in the southern area through the conversion of buildings in the ex-prisoner-of-war camp at Featherston to flats for married men. Lower Hutt District (Estimated male labour force, 19,200) 127. From time to time attention has been drawn to the exceptional acute shortage of labour, both male and female, existing in this district, and to the extreme difficulties which would inevitably arise in the staffing of new undertakings in this area. The position still shows no signs of improving, and the October, 1946, survey conducted by the Department revealed that for every six males at present employed in the Hutt Valley one more is required to overtake the deficiency, while in the case of females the

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proportion is one more required for approximately every five employed. The Department's industrial workers' camp at Petone has enabled some measure of assistance to be given to certain industries of key importance, but the over-all shortage is too great to be influenced appreciably by such steps, however much they may. help the few particular undertakings affected. Male notified vacancies increased from 1,207 at Ist April, 1946, to 1,679, at 31st March, 1947. An increased demand for skilled workers, and tradesmen is indicated by a rise in skilled vacancies in the past twelve months from 583 to 715 at 31st March, 1947. Female notified vacancies showed only a small over-all increase from 584 at Ist April, 1946, to 659 at 31st March, 1947. The demand for female juvenile workers rose from 1 at Ist April, 1946, to 79 at 31st March, 1947, while vacancies for skilled female workers dropped from 104 to 99. The placement of persons enrolling for employment has presented few difficulties. Immediate placements have been effected in most instances, enabling the numbers of those remaining enrolled at the end of each month to be kept at very low levels. At 31st March, 1947, there were no male or females enrollees on the register seeking employment. Male vacancies in the engineering and metal-working industries (including Railway Workshops) have mounted rapidly in the past twelve months, rising from 475 at Ist April, 1946, to 912 at 31st March, 1947, at which date they accounted for more than half of all male vacancies notified in this district. Of the current vacancies the Hutt Railway Workshops accounted for 738 (350 vacancies for skilled workers and 383 for unskilled men), and there are little immediate prospects of filling these vacancies. General engineering vacancies for males at 31st March, 1947, totalled 59, while those in motor assembly plants accounted for a further 106 (23 skilled and 83 unskilled). With a take-up in employment in motor-assembly plants and steadily increasing activity in other engineering and allied shops, the demand for engineering tradesmen and unskilled workers appears likely to continue at a high level. In building and construction the demand for labour has fluctuated with the position regarding supplies. Thus between April and June, 1946, vacancies fell from 424 to 143. By the end of March, 1947, they had again risen to 269, including 214 for skilled men. Part of this increase is attributed to the commencement of several new businesses. Other vacancies for unskilled labour have also been much beyond the labour available. Local authorities are requiring 100 men, while brickworks and other industries employing unskilled labour are also short. Vacancies for female labour remained particularly high in tobacco-manufacturing, where 172 were recorded on 31st March, 1947. Footwear-factories reported 104 vacancies, woollen-mills 62, clothing-factories 44, other textiles 40, hospitals 34, soapfactories 32, and rubber manufacture 27. Wellington District (Estimated male labour force, 38,700) 128. The overall shortage both of male and female labour in this district has continued undiminished over the past year. To-day larger numbers of vacancies than twelve months earlier exist for all categories of workers in practically all industiial undertakings operating in this area. Little immediate prospect of any easing of the present position is foreseen. In this connection a considerable measure of relief has, however, been afforded to undertakings of special importance during the past year through the various hostels and industrial workers' camps provided by the Department (see Section IV of Part I of this report). Despite the provision of this facility, which enabled a limited flow of workers from other centres to be encouraged, vacancies for both male and female labour have continued to mount steadily in the past year. Consequently, all persons enrolling with the Department have been afforded ample opportunities of employment and placements were effected with the minimum possible delay. No males or females remained enrolled with the Department at 31st March, 1947. 129. Male notified vacancies have risen from a total of 1,323 at Ist April, 1946, to 2,372 at 31st March, 1947. Demands for skilled male workers have increased from 667 to 937 over the same period. Vacancies for unskilled male labour have more than doubled from 474- at Ist April, 1946, to 994 at 31st March, 1947, while those seeking male juveniles rose from 182 to 441 in the twelve months. Female notified vacancies have almost doubled from 1,675 at Ist April, 1946, to 3,247 at 31st March, 1947. Skilled vacancies at Ist April, 1946, totalled 569 and at 31st March, .1947, 1,367, while those for unskilled workers rose from 567 to 1,379 in the same period. Vacancies for female juvenile workers, however, fell slightly from 539 at Ist April, 1946, to 501 at 31st March, 1947. 2—H 11A

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130. These figures and those for the Lower Hutt district emphasize the intense and growing competition for labour in these two areas, and the commencement of any new undertakings in the early future can only add pressure to the already existing heavy demand for labour. New industries setting up in either area will be confronted with most formidable staffing difficulties, and the resultant increased competition for labour could only have adverse effects on production from existing units. Engineering and Metal Working Group of Industries.—Male vacancies in this group of industries have jumped from 233 at Ist April, 1946, to 711 at 31st March, 1947. These latter vacancies included 339 in general engineering, 128 in electrical manufacture, 104 in the manufacture and repair of ships, engines, &c., and 126 in vehicle and cycle, &c., manufacture and repair. Some 383 of the current vacancies were for skilled workers, indicating the heavy demand for engineering tradesmen. In addition to the above requirements for male labour, there were 207 female vacancies in these industries at 31st March, 1947, including 131 in electrical manufacture. Building and Construction Industry.—After reaching a peak of 436 at 30th June, 1946, male vacancies eased off for the remainder of the period, but by 31st March, 1947, still totalled 384. Some 228 of these vacancies, or three out of each five, required tradesmen, the balance calling for 145 unskilled men and 11 juveniles. Printing, Bookbinding, &c., Industry.—Both male and female vacancies have mounted steadily over the period. By 31st March, 1947, these totalled 157 for males and 231 for females, as compared with 37 for males and 92 for females at Ist April, 1946. Of current vacancies, 115 for men and 120 for women require skilled workers. The unit most seriously affected in this industry in the district has been the Government Printing Office. Clothing-manufacture.—The acute and growing shortage of female labour for clothing-factories is reflected in the sharp rise in female vacancies from 381 at Ist April, 1946, to 932 at 31st March, 1947. Machinists are most heavily in demand, with skilled vacancies totalling 645. Hospitals.—Female vacancies reached a peak of 354 in May, 1946, but had eased off to 299 by 31st March, 1947 (191 for kitchen, laundry and domestic staff, 62 for nurses, and 46 for the mental hospital). A campaign for household staff initiated and conducted by the Department during the year on behalf of the Hospital Board resulted in the services of approximately 300 women being obtained for this work. The benefit of this recruitment drive was, however, largely offset by substantial terminations occurring over the period. Wholesale and Retail Trade.—lncreasing shortages of both male and female labour sought by wholesalers and shops are indicated by the rising vacancies for males from 73 at Ist April, 1946, to 235 at 31st March, 1947, and from 51 for females to 199 over the same period. Other Industries.—Shortages of labour over many other industries are similarly evident in this district —e.g., tobacco-manufacture notified 105 female vacancies at 31st March, 1947, hotels and restaurants 112 female vacancies, footwear-manufacture 93 vacancies for females and 66 for males, chemicals, &c., manufacture (including match-factory) 108 female vacancies, rail and tramway transport 105 male vacancies, and so on. All these emphasize the difficulties being experienced to-day by all industrial undertakings in the district in obtaining a full quota of labour to satisfy existing demands. Blenheim District (Estimated male labour force, 6,700) 131. Although essentially a primary-producing area, with farming of major importance, this district to-day employs more than 2,500 males and nearly 1,000 females in secondary and servicing industries. Recent months have seen the establishment in Picton of a branch factory for the manufacture of slippers, while elsewhere in the district a glove-factory and a building for tire-retreading are under construction. Seasonal fluctuations in employment are fairly marked since the various phases of farming operations, work on orchards and in packing-sheds, freezing-works, grain and wool stores, dairy factories, a linen-flax factory, and whaling result in varying demands being received from month to month each year, particularly for male unskilled labour. The employment position was kept well in hand, however, and even with the tapering-off of the killing season in the Picton Freezing-works last year the number of male enrollees rose only to 37 on 30th June, 1946. With this margin of labour temporarily available it became possible to undertake work on the Picton-Blenheim highway deviation job. Ma.lft vacancies declined from 46 on Ist April, 1946, to 25 on 30th June, 1946, increased to 70 on 30th November, 1946, but were down to 23 on 31st March, 1947 (9 for skilled and 6 for unskilled men ; 8 for juveniles). Female vacancies rose from 67 on Ist April, 1946, to 86 by 28th February, 1947, and fell to 78 on 31st March, 1947 (19 for skilled and 47 for unskilled women, with 12 for juveniles). No heavy demands were received for general farm hands during the year, the highest number of vacancies

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recorded being only 17 in February, 1947, of which only one remained in March. Some difficulties, however, arose in securing musterers, shed hands, and shearers. Sufficient labour was obtained for harvesting work on threshing-mills, and on orchards for the fruit-picking season. The Picton Freezingworks were adequately manned for the season. A difficult position faced the Wairau Hospital Board in the past year with female vacancies numbering 36 on Ist April, 1946,41 on 30th November, 1946, and 31 on 31st March, 1947 (14 for nurses and 17 for domestic staff). On this latter date, female vacancies in clothing and footwear factories stood at 10 in each case, with 13 vacancies in retail shops. Nelson Distriet (Estimated male labour force, 10,300) 132. The economy of Nelson depends largely on seasonal labour to gather the harvests of fruit, hops, raspberries, and tobacco, and in the processing and canning industries dependent on these crops. The tobacco fields cover 3,500 acres and produce between 3,000,000 lb. and 4,000,000 lb. of tobacco annually. The hop fields cover 650 acres, with an average yield in a normal year of 3,500 bales (9,375 cwt.). Large numbers of workers, mostly female, come into the district each season, returning to their own districts at the finish of the seasonal activity. The number of vacancies filled through the agency of the Department during the current season up to the end of March, 1947, totalled over 1,500. In addition, a limited number of male workers is engaged each season in the Stoke Freezing-works and in dairy factories. A number of other secondary industries are also operating in the district and, together with the servicing and •distribution industries, as well as bush sawmilling and afforestation, provide a wide range of employment for some 4,500 male and 1,650 female workers. Male vacancies rose steadily from 25 on Ist April, 1946, to a maximum of 193 by 30th November 1946, but eased off to 137 at the end of March, 1947 (74 for skilled and 46 for unskilled men, 17 for juveniles). Although vacancies for unskilled male workers were at a very low level during the months of April to August, 1946, inclusive, no difficulties arose in suitably placing all men registering for employment. The number of male workers seeking employment did not at any time exceed five. Female vacancies increased from 65 on Ist April, 1946, to 130 by 30th November, 1946, but fell to 109 on 51st March, 1947. Vacancies in building and construction rose from 17 on Ist April, 1946, to 61 by 30th November, 1946, and still totalled 51 on 31st March, 1947 (30 for tradesmen, 17 for labourers, and 4 for juveniles). These latter vacancies. included 16 for tradesmen (mainly carpenters) for work at the Cobb River hydro-electric dam. The construction work on the transmission line between Nelson and the West •Coast is also absorbing labour. In bush sawmilling notified vacancies reached a peak of 39 on 30th November, 1946, but were'down to 16 by 31st March, 1947 (10 for skilled and 6 for unskilled men). Although numbers of workers were placed in this industry, difficulties arose in meeting the full labour requirements where accommodation was lacking. A serious position has faced hospitals in the district in the past twelve months, particularly the mental hospital. Vacancies stood at 50 on 31st March, 1947. These included 43 for probationary nurses in the mental hospital. Westport District (Estimated male labour force, 3,700) 133. Coal-mining, with approximately 900 men employed, is the predominating industry in this district, while road and rail transport industries, together with bushsawmilling, building, engineering (mainly Railway Workshops), and servicing industries {shops, offices, &c.) all require smaller numbers of male employees. With relatively few vacancies offering outside the coal-mining and sawmilling industries, considerable difficulty arises in the placement of semi-fit and older male workers enrolling for •employment, and the district is in need of light secondary industries offering scope for the employment of men no longer physically able to undertake the more arduous work in mines and sawmills. For female workers retail shops, hospitals, hotels and restaurants, ■and a hosiery-factory provide a large proportion of the district's employment •opportunities. A build-up of workers in the coal-mines has taken place, particularly in October, 1946, when, a, & result of radio publicity, there was a substantial inflow of men from the Christchurch districts particularly to the Denniston Collieries. With the absorption of these men and the subsequent transfer of a number of truckers to work on the coal face, the industry became able to engage further men. Thus the 38 vacancies recorded in April, 1946, were reduced to 7 by 30th November, 1946, after which -date the build-up in men raised more vacancies, 22 remaining on 31st March, 1947.

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In bush sawmilling fit, experienced, and skilled men are mainly required, and such workers areextremely difficult to locate, either in this or in any other district. Although every endeavour was made to assist the position, vacancies at 31st March, 1947, still totalled. 36 (35 for skilled men and 1 for a juvenile). Shortage of suitable accommodation at the present time at most of the sawmills has contributed to the difficulty of filling vacancies. It is expected, however, that the implementation of the sawmill accommodation improvement scheme will go a long way towards attracting more labour to the sawmilling industry. A difficult position has faced the various hospital institutions under the Buller Hospital Board in the past twelve months. Although limited relief has been possible, the over-all situation has not improved, and at 31st March, 1947, a total of 21 vacancies were advised (16 for nurses and trainees and 5 for domestic staff). Greymouth District (Estimated male labour force, 8,300) 134. With a large part of its industrial activities concentrated in coal and other mining and sawmilling this district has maintained a strong demand for fit men for these industries. Opportunities for men who have not the fitness necessary in these occupations have not been numerous and, although industrial development in the district is going forward, there is still ample scope for the establishment of industries offering lighter forms of work. Similarly, there is scope for the further employment of women in the area, and an expansion of activity in secondary industry which has latterly taken place has indicated the availability of female staff for such undertakings. The insufficiency of suitable accommodation adjacent to work offering in the coal-mines and bush sawmillshas placed particular difficulties in the way of meeting unsatisfied demands for male labour in these industries. Successful efforts made by the Department during the year' towards securing suitable accommodation in mining areas enabled the staffing of some of the coal-mines to be substantially bettered. In addition, arrangements are now in hand for the erection of a hostel at Reefton to provide accommodation for workers in mines and other industries in this area. Arrangements have also been finalized, under a special housing scheme, for the erection of prefabricated housing units in bush sawmilling areas to provide accommodation for married men. These measures should assist materially in enabling greater numbers of workers to be drawn both to the coal-mines and sawmills in this district. Vacancies in coal-mines stood at 37 on 31st March, 1947 (18 for skilled and 19 for unskilled men)At this date, truckers and hewers were in approximately equal demand. The demand for male labour for sawmills fluctuated throughout the year. At 31st March, 1947, male notified vacancies numbered 46, as compared with 90 on Ist April, 1946. Only skilled bushmen and sawmill hands are required in the great majority of the mills. Male labour has also been in strong demand by the Railways Department. At 31st March, 1947, there were 44 vacancies for unskilled men and 16 requiring tradesmen. Despite continuous efforts made on behalf of the hospitals, considerable difficulties have arisen in the staffing of the public and mental hospitals in this district, and female vacancies rose from 29 on Ist April, 1946, to 60 by 31st March, 1947 (22 for nurses and trainees, 17 for domestic staff, and 21 in the mental hospital). Female vacancies at 31st March, 1947, totalled 9in hotels and restaurants, while those in clothing-factories numbered 7. The increased output of coal and timber which is in sight as a result of the additional accommodation now planned can be expected to throw an increased burden on transport facilities in this district, with consequent further demands for labour iri various directions. Should major improvement works be undertaken on the Greymouth Harbour a further strong demand for male labour would arise. Christehureh District (Estimated male labour force, 56,100) 135. Christehureh, while being the centre of a wide range of secondary and servicing industries, is also the centre of one of the most important farming areas in New Zealand, Fairly marked shortages of both male and female labour have been evident in the past twelve months. These labour shortages have, however, largely been confined to the Christehureh urban area, and only limited demands for labour have been forthcoming, from the remainder of the district. In common with the position in the other main urban centres, female labour shortages have continued undiminished, while the unsatisfied demand for male labour has steadilv increased.

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136. Male notified vacancies mounted during the year from 363 at Ist April, 1946, to 1,060 at 31st March, 1947. Demands for unskilled labour showed the most substantial increase, vacancies rising from 72 to 416 over the period. Juvenile vacancies rose from. 100 at Ist April, 1946, to 301 at the end of March, 1947. Female notified vacancies, already at the high level of 1,827 on Ist April, 1946, climbed to a peak of 2,349 in November, and then fell slightly to 2,215 by 31st March, 1947. Vacancies for unskilled female workers showed little variation, rising from 953 to 981 over the twelve months. Juvenile workers were in demand to the extent of 658 on Ist April, 1946,1,021 by 30th November, 1946, and 857 on 31st March, 1947. Skilled vacancies for females increased from 216 on Ist April, 1946, to 377 twelve months later. 137. The year commenced with 82 males and 2 females enrolled with the Department as seeking work on Ist April, 1946. In most instances these enrollees were only partially employable through physical limitations, ill health, or other causes. Concentrated efforts made on behalf of these and other cases enrolling during the year and the ready co-operation on the part of a number of employers, enabled suitable placements to be effected in most instances. As a result, by 31st March, 1947, there remained only 5 males and no females still enrolled for employment. 138. Several new industrial undertakings commenced operations in the Christchurch area in the past year. Competition in industry for the engagement of workers continues to be fairly severe, and it must be stressed that the advent of new undertakings under such conditions (apart from the extreme staffing difficulties which those undertakings themselves will experience) increases the competition for labour and renders it more difficult for established firms to maintain their existing staffs at the desired level. 139. The position in some of the larger industries is now referred to : Engineering Industry.—Male vacancies have risen from 62 at Ist April, 1946, to 282 at 31st March, 1947. Current vacancies included 106 for skilled men, 101 for unskilled men, and 75 for juveniles. At 31st March, 1947, there also remained vacancies totalling 59 for female workers, mainly on unskilled repetitive work in the industry. Building Industry.—Demands for male workers have fluctuated during the year though the general trend has been upwards from a total of 137 at Ist April, 1946, to 186 to 31st March, 1947. Two out of every three of the vacancies require tradesmen. Farming and Seasonal Activities. —No heavy calls for farm labour were received during the year, vacancies reaching a peak of only 49 at 30th November, 1946, and falling off to 17 by 31st March, 1947. General farm hands, tractor-drivers, &c., were not in any great demand. Practically no calls were received for harvest workers, even at the height of the season. Both machine and blade shearers were, however, in keen demand. With the commencement of large-scale killing operations in December, 1946, the four freezing-works in the district experienced little difficulty in obtaining practically their full requirements of labour. Clothing and Footwear Manufacture. —By far the most acute shortage of female labour in the district occurred in clothing-factories. Vacancies at Ist April, 1946, totalled 673 ; at 31st January, 1947, 950 ; and at 31st March, 1947, 886. Current demands for machinists and other skilled workers totalled 262 ; for unskilled women 429, and for juveniles 195. Vacancies in footwear-manufacture have remained at a fairly constant level during the twelve months, with a small rise from 169 to 177 over this period. All classes of workers, whether skilled, unskilled, or juvenile, are being sought by the industry. Other Industries.—Many other industries in the district are seeking female labour. Woollen-mills required 146 workers (mainly unskilled) at 31st March, 1947, hospitals 142 (110 for domestic staff and nursing trainees and 32 in the mental hospital), retail shops, &c., 142, domestic service 121, printing and publishing 59, manufacture of leather goods 46, hotels and restaurants 46, &c. Likewise, further male labour was required by fertilizer-works (45 vacancies), brickworks (35 vacancies), and other industries. To a greater or lesser degree, practically all industries operating in the district, and particularly those in and around the urban area, are experiencing difficulties in obtaining their full requirements of labour. Ashburton District (Estimated male labour force, 5,900) 140. Throughout the year the main demands for male labour came from farming and seasonal industries such as harvesting, shearing, and work in the freezing-works. Only limited calls for male labour were received from secondary and servicing industries. Male vacancies were influenced by these seasonal activities, reaching 113 on 31st January, 1947, but easing off to 90 by 31st March, 1947. Winter employment for male seasonal 3—H 11a

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workers is usually rather difficult to obtain in this district, but the public-works irrigation scheme at Hinds absorbed all men available during the winter of 1946. Consequently, the number of persons enrolled did not exceed four at any stage. Woollen and knitting mills, shops and offices, hospitals, hotels, and catering establishments afford the main scope of employment for female workers in the district. Shortages of labour were confined almost entirely to the woollen and knitting mills, which notified 90 per cent, or more of all female vacancies over the twelve months. At present there are approximately 1,100 males and somewhat less than 250 females employed in secondary industries other than seasonal undertakings in the district, and there is some scope for the establishment of new industries. This applies particularly to the commencement of any industrial enterprise requiring the engagement of unskilled or semi-skilled male workers. The Department has given all possible encouragement and assistance in this direction. Male vacancies in farming, which numbered 7 on Ist April, 1946, rose to 65 on 31st January, 1947, but were down to 45 by 31st March, 1947. The fairly steady demand for permanent farm hands, particularly during the latter half of the period, was satisfactorily met by placements effected by the Department. Shearing work was delayed through the abnormally wet weather experienced towards the end of 1946. Some difficulties arose in obtaining sufficient labour for harvesting operations, but the arranging of week-end teams materially assisted the position. Most calls for header-harvester and threshing-mill operatives were satisfied. No particular difficulties arose in meeting the requirements for male labour in the freezing-works. Shortages of female labour in the woollen and knitting mills have been acute. Female vacancies rose steeply from 30 at 30th June, 1946, to 110 by 31st July, 1946, and still totalled 111 on 31st March, 1947. Timaru District (Estimated male labour force, 13,100) 141. Secondary industries in this district include engineering and metal working ndustries, grain-milling, tanneries, flax and woollen mills, footwear-manufacture, and pottery. Farming activities are predominantly agricultural, principally wheat and field crops, with sheep-farms of importance in the back country. The building and construction industry, transport and other non-manufacturing industries, including grain and wool stores, also make demands on available labour. The two freezing-works require a seasonal inflow of nearly 450 men. A measure of industrial expansion has continued over the period under review. The main avenues of employment for female labour are retail shops and other distributing industries, the woollen-mills, boot, shoe, clothing and glove factories, biscuit-manufacture, and pottery-works, and hotels and catering establishments. Hospitals in the district have had no great difficulty in securing female staff, vacancies notified to the Department remaining at less than 10 throughout the year. Two major hydro-electric plants under construction at Lakes Tekapo and Pukaki have accentuated the demand for skilled and unskilled labour, and were largely responsible for the substantial increase in notified vacancies in the industry from 19 in April, 1946, to 130 in February, 1947. The vacancies in respect of other building works have remained fairly steady throughout the year. The Behabilitation Department's trade trainees have been readily placed with employers. The supply of teamsters, tractor-drivers, and harvest workers was generally adequate to meet the demand, but threshing-mill owners experienced difficulty in manning their various units. Shearing in the back country proceeded with the minimum of difficulty, though at times there was a shortage of blade shearers and general shed hands. Two successful classes in shearing for learners were inaugurated during the season. Farm vacancies at 31st March, 1947, numbered 12, a decrease of 22 from the February total of 34, which was the largest number notified to the Department during the period. Freezing-works at Pareora and Smithfield and the linen-flax factories at Washdyke, Fairlie, Geraldine, and Makikihi were able to fill their labour requirements without any particular difficulty. In the wool and grain stores sufficient labour was also obtained. Hotels were fairly well staffed, though 15 vacancies were recorded on 31st March, 1947, for female workers, mainly in kitchens and dining-rooms. A limited demand for domestics in hospitals also existed. Vacancies for females in the woollen-mills increased from 20 in April, 1946, to 30 in August, 1946, and have remained steady since this date. In the clothing and boot and shoe factories an aggregate of 16 vacancies on 31st March, 1947, remained unfilled. Oamaru District (Estimated male labour force, 5,200) 142. No serious shortage of male labour exists in this district, although, in common with other centres, tradesmen have remained steadily in demand. Secondary industries have shown some expansion during the period, and continued industrial development

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will play an important part in the future of tlie region. A number of Dunedin firms have decentralized to this district. Secondary industries already established include woollen-mills and clothing-factories, engineering and metal working industries, and grain and flour milling. Freezing-works at Pukeuri require a seasonal influx of 150-200 men. Vacancies for male labour fell from 52 in April, 1946, to 27 in September, 1946, but increased again to 70 in March, 1947. Female vacancies decreased from 80 in April, 1946, to 58 in November, 1946, and rose to 103 by tbe end of March, 1947. Many of the male vacancies listed during the year covered farming operations, particularly general farm hands, tractor-drivers, oowman-gardeners, and shearers. On 31st March, 1947, farming vacancies numbered 24 (19 on mixed farms and son sheep-runs), and included 13 requiring experienced farm hands. The building and construction industry has been fully occupied coping with a large number of ■contracts on hand. Notified vacancies have not, however, been large over the period; they totalled 16 on 31st March, 1947 (10 for tradesmen and 6 for unskilled men). This district has considerable deposits of " Oamaru " stone, which is easily shaped and sawn and lends itself not only to house •construction, but also to the erection of buildings suitable for industrial purposes. At the peak of the season, in March, 1947, when two chains were fully occupied, no shortage of labour was experienced at the Pukeuri works. During the off-season many of the freezing-workers returned to farms, while no difficulty arose in finding employment for the balance of the seasonal ■employees. The main vacancies for females on 31st March, 1947, were 50 in the woollen-mills, 23 in clothingfactories, 12 in the Railway refreshment-rooms, and 6 in hotels and catering establishments. Dunedin District (Estimated male labour force, 37,000) 143. Apart from the numerous employment opportunities available in the wide range of industrial undertakings centering mainly around the Dunedin urban area, this district also includes extensive pastoral, fruit, and mixed farming areas in Central and South Otago. Shortages of labour were, however, largely confined to secondary and servicing industries. Notified requirements for labour in the primary industries remained at a very low level throughout the past twelve months and male vacancies in farming for the whole of the district did not exceed 20 at any period during the year. Tradesmen and other skilled men, skilled and unskilled female workers, together with both male and female juveniles, were in considerable demand by most industries in the urban area. Vacancies for unskilled male labour varied with the rise and fall in activity in the seasonal industries ; on Ist April, 1946, these totalled 284, fell off to only 66 by 31st July, 1946, but later climbed to 414 by 31st March, 1947. During the winter months the numbers enrolled for employment reached a peak of 33 males and 1 female on 31st July, 1946. By the end of March, 1947, however, the numbers were down, only 5 males and 3 females being enrolled as seeking employment. A number of firms, notably those engaged in •clothing and other textile manufacture, have successfully proceeded with the decentralization of a portion of their activities to smaller towns. From latest indications it seems, however, that many of these previously untapped sources of unskilled female labour have now been fully absorbed. 144. Male notified vacancies increased from a total of 678 on Ist April, 1946, to 1,082 by 31st March, 1947. Vacancies requiring skilled male workers rose from 303 at Ist April, 1946, to 533 by 30th September, 1946, but fell to 404 at 31st March, 1947. Demands for male juvenile employees mounted steadily from 91 to 264. Female notified vacancies showed a rise of 386 from 1,432 at Ist April, 1946, to 1,818 by 31st March, 1947. Vacancies requiring unskilled female workers showed only a small rise from 726 to 739 in the twelve months, while those specifying skilled workers totalled 317 at Ist April, 1946, reached a peak of 501 at 31st January, 1947, and then fell to 394 by 31st March, 1947. 145. The position in some of the larger industries is now commented upon Engineering Industry.—Male vacancies in all engineering establishments doubled from 132 at Ist April, 1946, to 264 at 31st March, 1947. Current vacancies included 146 for skilled men, 82 for unskilled workers, and 36 for juveniles. All classes of engineering tradesmen are in demand, with a serious shortage of floor-moulders particularly in evidence. To a lesser degree fit unskilled men are also required as foundry labourers, while youths are being sought as apprentices.

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Bail Transport (including Dunedin City Corporation Tramways).—lncreasing difficulties in obtaining sufficient male labour to meet the full requirements of this industrial group are indicated by the marked rise in male vacancies from 79 at Ist April, 1946, to 287 at 31st March, 1947 (67 for skilled men, 177 for unskilled men, and 43 for juveniles). Labourers for the many branches of the industry are most strongly in demand. Building and Contruction Industry.—Vacancies for male workers totalled 157 at Ist April, 1946, reached a peak of 204 on 31st July, 1946, and then eased off to 158 by 31st March, 1947, with 2 out of every 3 of the current vacancies calling for skilled men. Clothing-factories, Woollen-mills, and other Textile Manufacturing Units.—Serious shortages of female labour continue in the textile and clothing group of industries in this district, with notified vacancies totalling 939 at 31st March, 1947. This represents slightly more than one-half of all female vacancies for the district. Clothing-factories accounted for 571 of these vacancies. Vacancies in woollen-mills have risen from 160 at Ist April, 1946, to 217 at 31st March, 1947. Footwear-factories required a further 47 female workers at the end of March, 1947. Hospitals.—With notified female vacancies rising from 99 at Ist April, 1946, to 234 at 31st March, 1947, a difficult position faces hospitals in the district. At this latter date 164 additional domestic staff and trainees were required, together with 15 trained nurses, while the mental hospital was short to the extent of 55 female employees. Wholesale and Betail Trade. —Vacancies for females in shops, &c., at Ist April, 1946, totalled 87, reached a peak of 149 on 31st January, 1947, and fell to 118 by the end of March, 1947. On the same date male vacancies were 63. The bulk of the demand was for male and female juniors only. Other Industries. —Demands for male labour were also forthcoming from a number of other industries, of which tanneries and fertilizer works (29 vacancies notified at 31st March, 1947, in each case) showed the highest totals. Fit unskilled manual workers are sought by these industries. Additional female labour was also required at 31st March, 1947, by a number of other industries —e.g., hotels and restaurants (103 vacancies), sugar and confectionery industry (70 vacancies), paper and pulp manufacture (38 vacancies), laundries (34 vacancies), domestic service (28 vacancies). Unskilled and juvenile female workers are particularly required. Invereargill District (Estimated male labour force, 22,600) 146. Although farming and its related seasonal industries are of major importance, this district also affords a wide range of employment in secondary industries, transport, distribution, servicing, and extractive industries such as sawmilling and coal-mining. Some 10,500 male and 3,600 female workers are so engaged. New industrial undertakings which commenced in the past twelve months include sawmills, lime-works, engineering works, and a clothing-factory. In addition, development of the Morley coalfield may be expected at an early date. Seasonal fluctuations in employment are an important feature of this district. Between July, 1916, and March, 1917, some 1,200 additional male workers were engaged in freezing-works, dairy factories, and wool, grain, seed stores, &c. At the ebb period of winter employment, on 31st August, 1916, male enrolments, however, reached a peak of only 22 persons seeking employment. The three freezing-works retained a number of men during the off-season for alterations and extensions, while every endeavour was made to place all enrollees into suitable employment. Vacancies for unskilled male workers in industry generally at this period of the year were limited, but highways improvement work, north of Invereargill, absorbed some 100 men during the winter months. Male vacancies numbered 113 on Ist April, 1946, and 186 on 31st January, 1947, but rose steeply to 332 by 31st March, 1947 (32 for skilled and 268 for unskilled men ; 32 for juveniles). Female vacancies totalled 146 on Ist April, 1946, and 111 on 31st March, 1947, with a peak of 182 at the end of December, 1946. Vacancies at the end of the period were for 72 unskilled workers and 39 juveniles. In the bush sawmilling industry the demand for skilled bushmen and mill hands continued throughout the year, although vacancies were reduced from 51 on Ist April, 1946, to 35 by 31st March, 1947. Lack of accommodation and other amenities provided the main difficulties in meeting the full labour requirements of the industry. Dairy factory vacancies numbered 44 on 30th September, 1946, but these had been reduced to 4 by 31st January, 1947. The Railways Department experienced difficulties in securing male workers, mainly surfacemen in country districts. Freezing-works initially obtained adequate labour, but by the end of March, 1947, vacancies were up to 81 for general hands. On the same date brickworks required 34 unskilled men, engineering firms 26 workers, and wool-stores 17 unskilled men. Hospital vacancies were gradually reduced from 59 on Ist April, 1946, to 23 by 31st March, 1947, for domestic staff. At this date clothing-factories advised 22 vacancies, hotels and catering establishments 16, and the condensed-milk factory 8 vacancies.

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APPENDIX I STATISTICAL TABLES Table I.—lndustrial Classification of Notified Vacancies remaining unsatisfied at Quarterly Points. Table 2.—Disengaged Persons Enrolled for Employment in Districts, 1946-47. Table 3. —Placements of Enrolled Persons during 1946-47. Table 4.—Placements by Industries, 1946-47. Table s.—Distribution of Labour Force in General Industries at 15th October, 1946. Table 6.—Analysis of Building and Construction Labour Force at 15th October, 1946, by Occupation and Class of Work. Table 7.—Movements in Seasonal Labour Force (Males), August, 1946, to March, 1947. Table 7a.—Graph showing movements in Seasonal Labour Force (Males). Table B.—External Migration, 1946-47, by Occupational Groups.

Table 1.—Industrial Classification of Notified Vacancies remaining unsatisfied at Quarterly Points

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30th June, 1946. 30th Sept., 1946. 31st Dec., 1946. 31st March, 1947. Industrial Group. Males. Females. Males. Females. Males. Females. Males. Females. Primary Industry Sheep-farming Dairy-farming Other farming Forestry and bush sawmilling .. Fishing and trapping Coal-mining Other mining and quarrying 73 59 172 324 2 144 41 16 "l "l 140 217 195 298 10 124 46 7 4 6 1 "l 133 153 164 366 6 125 63 3 3 10 70 93 156 336 2 150 51 4 3 6 Primary industry total 815 18 1,030 19 1,010 16 858 13 Secondary Industry Food, Drink, and Tobacco— Meat freezing and processing .. Dairy factories Other food and drink Tobacco-manufacture 10 112 119 6 39 19 374 241 43 355 124 7 89 27 492 103 845 168 127 5 64 33 373 252 367 42 230 28 99 27 452 285 Sub-total 247 673 529 711 1,145 722 667 863 Textiles, Clothing, Leather —■ Woollen and knitting mills Clothing-manufacture Footwear manufacture and repair Tanneries, fur, and leather goods Other textiles 38 146 127 54 39 693 4,046 646 108 508 57 119 208 84 82 778 4,464 686 80 460 62 129 203 112 73 748 4,033 654 99 435 64 140 195 153 76 714 4,138 673 144 467 Sub-total 404 6,001 550 6,468 579 5,969 628 6,136 Building Materials and ingsTimber milling and joinery Furniture and other woodmanufacture Bricks, pottery, cement 147 195 156 1 52 22 148 229 201 5 59 25 130 239 244 1 72 26 212 219 361 8 63 27 Sub-total 498 75 578 89 613 99 792 98 Engineering and Metal "Working— Machinery and metal working .. Ships, engines, vehicles 869 1,267 221 25 1,066 1,832 343 25 1,193 1,932 311 27 1,499 1,808 362 21 Sub-total 2,136 246 2,898 368 3,125 338 3,307 383 Miscellaneous ManufacturingPaper, pulp, and printing Other 158 158 474 436 238 189 600 451 237 219 545 423 241 343 565 425 Sub-total 316 910 427 1,051 456 968 584 990 Power and Water Supply— Sub-total 125 6 109 6 136 7 201 5 Building and Construction— Sub-total 2,014 8 1,589 13 1,447 15 1,651 10 Secondary industry total 5,740 7,919 6,680 8,706 7,501 8,118 7,830 8,485

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Table 1.—Industrial Classification of Notified Vacancies remaining unsatisfied at Quarterly Points —continued

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Industrial Group. 30th June, 1946. 30th Sept., 1946. 31st Dec., 1946. 31st March, 1947. Males. Females. Males. Females. Males. Females. Males. Females. Tertiary Industry Transport and Communication— Bail transport Boad, water, air transport Post and telegraph Sub-total Distribution and Finance— Wholesale and retail trade Finance and insurance Other agencies Sub-total Domestic and Personal Services— Hotels and restaurants Personal services, recreation, &c. Sub-total Administration and Professional — Hospitals .. .. 1. Medical and hygienic services .. Educational, professional, &c. .. Government services n.e.i. Local authorities n.e.i. Sub-total Other — Sub-total Tertiary industry total .. Total, all industries 311 46 204 31 18 6 599 76 258 30 14 15 2,571 98 287 101 26 15 2,853 105 1,017 128 42 258 561 55 933 59 2,956 142 3,975 428 279 41 59 357 74 90 425 78 75 555 83 85 509 104 111 702 84 93 717 101 123 738 95 105 379 521 578 723 724 879 941 938 44 71 726 534 46 79 606 626 49 68 532 575 57 83 562 541 115 1,260 125 1,232 117 1,107 140 1,103 116 25 32 166 107 1,376 9 138 420 13 121 16 43 147 121 1,473 16 156 517 12 118 26 54 180 181 1,490 16 144 567 16 111 16 52 233 241 1,365 13 142 488 10 446 1,956 448 2,174 559 2,233 653 2,018 6 1 6 2 12 5 4 1,501 3,798 2,085 4,194 4,358 4,373 5,714 4,491 8,056 11,735 9,795 12,919 12,869 12,507 14,402 12,989 Note.—Prom 31st October onwards recorded vacancies in rail transport show a large increase due to a change in the basis of notification by the Bailways Department. The same remark applies to Post and Telegraph vacancies from 31st March, 1947.

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Table 2.—Disengaged Persons enrolled for Employment in Districts, 1946-47

43

Males. Females. District. 30th 31st 30th 31st 31st 30th 31st 30th 31st 31st 28th 31st 30th 30th 31st 31st April, May, June, July, Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec., Jan., 1947. Feb., March, June, Sept., Dec., March, 1946. 1946. 1946. 1946. 1946. 1946. 1946. 1946. 1946. 1947. 1947. 1946. 1946. 1946. 1947. Whangarei 21 26 21 24 18 10 13 14 9 6 3 3 2 2 2 Auckland 57 56 53 34 22 14 17 6 11 10 6 2 3 Hamilton 22 23 14 4 2 4 4 3 2 2 2 1 Taumarunui 3 2 2 4 1 1 Paeroa 4 4 7 8 6 *3 "2 1 1 1 Rotorua 11 19 95 110 94 23 15 21 "5 *6 27 10 1 Gisborne 76 24 26 19 11 5 3 2 2 2 1 "6 "l 1 Napier 28 41 41 40 27 32 22 7 4 7 3 4 5 1 Hastings 21 41 31 20 33 37 30 8 7 4 3 3 1 1 1 New Plymouth 32 25 24 25 23 15 15 17 9 6 10 7 5 2 2 Wanganui 6 14 17 9 4 16 8 1 3 2 1 Palmerston North 10 14 6 10 9 10 5 3 "3 1 2 6 1 Masterton 7 19 24 19 9 12 8 12 11 6 5 2 "l 2 Lower Hutt 4 1 1 "l Wellington 6 '*6 "l "7 "2 3 "2 2 "l Blenheim 16 33 *37 35 25 7 3 3 1 6 "4 "2 Nelson 4 5 5 4 3 3 2 1 "l Westport 4 10 10 11 8 5 1 "2 1 3 3 "2 1 Greymouth 12 10 10 4 7 3 2 4 3 4 1 "l Christehurch 70 57 50 29 15 6 2 5 4 4 5 5 1 1 Ashburton 4 4 4 2 3 3 4 2 1 Timaru 14 27 40 35 33 19 22 14 14 "2 "3 "4 "2 Oamaru 4 2 2 4 2 5 4 1 4 4 2 2 Dunedin 18 14 32 33 21 15 11 6 8 4 3 5 "l 3 Invereargill 8 10 16 10 22 7 6 11 6 6 4 6 Dominion 462 486 567 490 401 261 201 146 106 90 92 67 26 7 i4 7

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Table 3.—Placements of Enrolled Persons during 1946-47, by Districts and Type of Worker placed

44

District. Males. Females. Total Placements (Male and Female). Number of Placements. Estimated Male Labour Force. Placements per 1,000 Estimated Labour Eorce. Returned Servicemen included in Total. Number of Placements. Under 21. 21Fully Employable. -59. employable. 60 and over. Total. Under 21. 21-59. 60 and over. Total. Whangarei 51 186 15 4 256 21,300 12 94 47 44 91 347 Auckland 315 2,008 73 26 2,422 98,600 25 889 168 296 3 467 2,889 Hamilton 34 451 46 1 532 36,500 15 223 4 35 39 571 Tauinarunui 8 153 2 3 166 3,900 43 45 3 10 13 179 Paeroa 8 235 5 3 251 11,600 22 121 14 22 36 287 Rotorua 93 678 51 3 825 15,400 54 265 51 76 127 952 Gisborne 114 1,209 45 15 1,383 14,800 93 531 43 80 1 124 1,507 Napier 11 644 77 1 733 7,700 95 289 3 66 69 802 Hastings 11 613 19 3 646 10,300 63 258 7 30 37 683 New Plymouth 22 600 31 653 21,000 31 335 4 78 82 735 Wanganui 47 743 4 "l2 806 17,600 46 272 8 39 47 853 Palmerston North 102 825 21 6 954 23,900 40 398 14 48 62 1,016 Masterton 137 5 142 10,600 13 43 1 4 5 147 Lower Hutt "77 766 2 "25 870 19,200 45 167 29 56 1 86 956 Wellington 321 1,296 10 57 1,684 38,700 44 629 150 231 381 2,065 Blenheim 48 342 27 12 429 6,700 64 94 1 16 17 446 Nelson 72 647 36 28 783 10,300 76 306 223 1,036 64 1,323 2,106 Westport 22 102 1 125 3,700 34 46 2 7 9 134 Greymouth 30 319 5 354 8,300 43 159 16 41 57 411 Christchurch 444 1,925 224 ' 46 2,639 56,100 47 1,069 242 66 308 2,947 Ashburton 20 376 3 3 402 5,900 68 108 1 20 21 423 Timaru 3 479 51 533 13,100 41 194 11 31 1 43 576 Oamaru.. 60 294 18 5 377 5,200 73 111 7 3 10 387 Dunedin 368 1,913 120 15 2,416 37,000 65 994 78 198 276 2,692 Invercargill 19 829 9 857 22,600 38 284 6 48 ■ 54. 911 Total 2,300 17,770 899 269 21,238 520,000 41 7,924 1,133 2,581 70 3,784 25,022 * Of total placements (males), 16,576 (78 per cent.) were classified, as permanent (over three months), 3,339 (16 per cent.) classified as temporary (one week to 3 months), and 1,323 (6 per cent.) classified as casual (under one week). f Of total placements (females), 2,786 (73 per cent.) were classified as permanent (over three months), 975 (26 per cent.) classified as temporary (one week to three months), and 23 (1 per cent.) classified as casual (under one week).

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Table 4. —Total Placements by Industries, 1st April, 1946, to 31st March, 1947

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Industrial Group. Males. Females. Total. Percentage of Total Placements. Primary Industry Sheep-farming Dairy-farming Other farming .. .. .. Forestry and bush sawmilling Fishing and trapping Coal-mining .. •Other mining and quarrying 618 387 1,578 825 17 167 72 11 3 1,262 28 5 1 629 390 2,840 853 22 167 73 2-5 1-6 11-3 3-4 0-1 0-7 0-3 Primary industry total 3,664 1,310 4,974 19-9 Secondary Industry Food, Drink, and Tobacco — Meat freezing and processing Dairy factories .. Other food and drink Tobacco-manufacture 1,312 384 597 12 19 8 74 16 1,331 392 671 28 5-3 1-6 2-7 0-1 Sub-total 2,305 117 2,422 9-7 Textiles, Clothing, Leather — Woollen and knitting mills Clothing-manufacture Footwear manufacture and repair Tanneries, furs, and leather goods Other textiles 239 125 259 143 194 26 247 21 6 16 265 372 280 149 210 10 1-5 11 0-6 0-8 Sub-total 960 316 1,276 5-0 Building Materials and Furnishings— Timber milling and joinery Furniture and other wood manufacture .. Bricks, pottery, cement 279 219 640 7 7 2 286 226 642 1-2 0-9 2-6 Sub-total 1,138 16 1,154 4-7 Engineering and Metal Working— Machinery and metal working Ships, engines, vehicles 1,413 638 31 12 1,444 650 5-8 2-6 Sub-total 2,051 43 2,094 8-4 Miscellaneous Manufacturing— Paper, pulp, and printing Other 252 658 43 49 295 707 1-2 2-8 Sub-total 910 92 1,002 4-0 Power and Water Supply— Sub-total 401 4 405 1-6 Building and Construction— Sub-total ' 3,783 3 3,786 15-1 Secondary industry total 11,548 591 12,139 48-5

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Table 4. —Total Placements by Industries, 1st April, 1946, to 31st March, 1947 —continued

46

Industrial Group. Males. Females. Total. Percentage of Total Placements. Tertiary Industry Transport and Communication— Rail transport Road, water, air transport Post and Telegraph 737 549 228 5 . 12 12 742 561 240 30 2-2 10 Sub-total 1,514 29 1,543 6-2 Distribution and Finance— Wholesale and retail trade Finance and insurance Other agencies 2,106 57 68 342 36 66 2,448 93 134 9-8 0-4 0-5 Sub-total 2,231 444 2,675 10-7 Domestic and Personal Services— Hotels and restaurants Personal services, recreation, &c. 416 414 443 254 859 668 3-4 2-7 Sub-total 830 697 1,527 61 Administration and Professional — Hospitals Medical and hygienic services Educational, professional, &c. Government services n.e.i. Local authorities n.e.i. 244 23 128 679 332 477 12 86 130 3 721 35 214 809 335 2-9 0-1 0-9 3-2 1-3 Sub-total 1,406 708 2,114 8-4 Other— Sub-total 45 5 50 0-2 Tertiary industry total 6,026 1,883 7,909 31-6 Total, all industries 21,238 3,784 25,022 100-0

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Table 5.—Distribution of Labour Force in General Industries at 15th October, 1946

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Number of Units. Males. Females. Total Payroll Industrial Group. Payroll Strengths. Working Proprietors. Payroll Strengths. Working Proprietors. Strengths and Working Proprietors. Primary Industry other than Farming, Hunting, and Fishing— Forestry and bush sawinilling .. Coal-mining Other mining and quarrying 323 137 110 6,969 5,518 1,710 241 155 57 203 46 24 1 7,413 5,719 1,792 Sub-total 570 14,197 453 273 1 14,924 Food Drink and Tobacco other than Seasonal — Food and drink Tobacco-manufacture 1,227 5 8,204 362 987 2 3,754 713 350 1 13,295 1,078 Sub-total 1,232 8,566 989 4,467 351 14,373 Textiles, Clothing, Leather — Woollen and knitting mills Clothing-manufacture Footwear manufacture and repair Tanneries, furs, and leather goods Other textiles 57 935 245 253 135 2,038 2,742 2,881 2,444 2,158 26 539 227 219 83 2,138 13,965 1,871 935 1,463 13 330 9 22 18 4,215 17,576 4,988 3,620 3,722 Sub-total 1,625 12,263 1,094 20,372 392 34,121 Building Materials and Furnishings— Timber milling and joinery Furniture and other wood manufacture Bricks, pottery, cement 383 519 425 5,200 4,832 5,297 264 494 325 218 442 359 1 12 1 5,683 5,780 5,982 Sub-total 1,327 15,329 1,083 1,019 14 17,445 Engineering and Metal Working— Machinery and metal working .. Ships, engines, vehicles 1,473 1,682 18,330 19,841 1,320 1,675 2,423 1,191 25 16 22,098 22,723 Sub-total 3,155 38,171 2,995 3,614 41 44,821 Miscellaneous Manufacturing—■ Paper, pulp, and printing Other 590 427 7,321 6,235 498 233 3,269 2,581 58 23 11,146 9,072 Sub-total 1,017 13,556 731 5,850 81 * 20,218 Power and Water Supply— Sub-total 221 7,803 5 551 8,359 Transport and Communication— Bail transport Boad, water, air transport Post and Telegraph 37 1,519 474 19,990 13,230 10,851 1 1,569 1,647 998 3,080 32 21,638 15,829 13,931 Sub-total 2,030 44,071 1,570 5,725 32 51,398 Distribution and Finance — Wholesale and retail trade Finance and insurance Other agencies 8,980 878 1,201 39,786 7,929 3,140 6,344 103 1,051 23,381 3,719 2,571 1,256 2 31 70,767 11,753 6,793 Sub-total 11,059 50,855 7,498 29,671 1,289 89,313 Domestic and Personal Services — Hotels and restaurants Persona] services, recreation, &c. 2,130 1,410 4,936 4,080 1,475 696 8,963 3,661 948 373 16,322 8,810 Sub-total 3,540 9,016 2,171 12,624 1,321 25,132 Administration and Professional—Hospitals Medical and hygienic services .. Educational, professional, &c. .. Government services, n.e.i. Local authorities, n.e.i. 341 534 1,313 603 337 4,648 1,975 8,662 13,386 6,840 8 269 537 12,774 924 11,770 5,261 599 157 18 37 17,587 3,186 21,006 18,647 7,439 Sub-total 3,128 35,511 814 31,328 212 67,865 Total, all general industries 28,904 249,338 19,403 115,494 3,734 387,969 Note.—The figures in this table were compiled from the Department's Half-Yearly Survey of Employment, and therefore exclude workers in farming, seasonal industries, fishing, trapping, and waterfront work. One-man businesses a re also excluded. Building and construction figures, also excluded here, are shown in Table 6.

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Table 6.—Analysis of Building and Construction Labour Force (Males and Females) at 15th October, 1946, by Occupation and Class of Work

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Occupation. State Rental Houses and Flats. Local Authority Houses and Flats. Other Houses and Flats. Hospitals and Educational Institutions. Other Government Buildings, Other Local Authority Buildings. Industrial Manufacture Storage and Farm Buildings other than Dwellings. Commercial and other Buildings. Bridge construction. Civil and Electrical Engineering for Government. Other Civil and Electrical Engineering. Maintenance, Repair, and Small Jobbing Work. Not Classifiable by Class of Work. Total. Carpenters 3,145 277 2,997 522 197 70 648 902 25 422 68 898 10,171 Plumbers 213 37 408 112 27 5 68 54 46 6 866 1,842 Bricklayers 135 10 130 7 4 5 21 30 3 2 46 393 Plasterers 161 10 222 65 24 13 38 68 3 54 658 Painters 592 31 595 143 44 6 85 270 65 7 520 2,358 Drainlayers 51 4 36 9 2 2 5 8 *2 4 '5 24 152 Electricians 189 8 218 32 11 4 90 92 72 57 408 1,181 Roof tilers and fixers 113 102 21 17 37 9 2 25 326 Welders, riveters, and other steel 14 14 1 *6 19 17 123 i3 130 337 workers Concrete- workers 36 4 14 12 2 8 28 46 14 49 11 19 243 Bridge carpenters 64 12 4 5 85 Lorry-drivers 37 **4 30 is 4 "6 18 17 5 222 44 151 556 Other machine-drivers 24 10 1 1 3 3 - 8 415 50 136 651 Tunnellers 5 204 28 237 Other, skilled 65 "4 34 '44 "7 *5 *47 u *23 573 90 : 245 1,151 Other, semi-skilled 85 4 75 19 15 24 13 80 5 1,218 133 395 2,066 Labourers 552 42 400 202 98 117 378 313 83 2,503 233 829 5,750 Surveyors and other professional.. 1,513 1,513 Clerical and other commercial .. Not classifiable bv class of J 2,389 2,389 Other, miscellaneous work } 318 318 Working proprietors I 3,470 3,470 Total 5,417 435 5,261 1,230 454 272 1,498 1,923 229 5,936 751 4,751 7,690 35,847

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Table 7. —Movements in Seasonal Labour Force (Males), August, 1946, to March, 1947, excluding Farming

49

District. Numbers employed at 15th of Month. August, 1946. Sept., 1946. October, 1946. Nov., 1946. Dec., 1946. January, 1947. February, 1947. March, 1947. Whangarei 430 466 464 439 514 643 611 601 Auckland 2,670 2,581 2,528 2,931 3,992 4,259 4,032 3,799 Hamilton 903 1,026 988 1,010 1,377 1,394 1,297 1,176 Taumarunui 17 19 21 20 20 21 20 19 Paeroa 204 253 288 288 295 285 279 267 Rotorua 119 134 147 160 163 165 163 155 Gisborne 520 526 551 575 1,056 1,105 1,014 976 Napier 81 116 117 260 369 349 279 294 Hastings 875 838 785 1,306 1,531 1,605 1,595 1,438 New Plymouth Wanganui 858 1,101 1,232 1,241 1,397 1,551 1,506 1,451 674 685 657 710 1,146 1,275 1,196 1,214 Palmerston North 829 846 900 916 1,135 1,451 1,401 1,356 Masterton 386 430 470 508 649 729 778 732 Lower Hutt 242 231 245 272 378 489 518 485 Wellington 488 520 535 663 855 1,002 947 904 Blenheim 144 158 160 159 216 243 255 249 Nelson 257 260 210 202 195 223 239 264 Westport 18 17 20 25 20 19 19 19 Greymouth *30 33 47 50 45 37 37 36 Christchurch 1,030 1,003 1,014 1,143 1,639 1,986 2,210 2,166 Ashburton *90 *92. 95 101 249 292 305 308 Timaru 435 445 413 465 518 841 928 965 Oamaru 105 100 85 91 82 221 247 290 Dunedin 476 532 549 662 668 1,033 1,098 1,100 Invercargill 586 641 716 709 828 1,755 1,753 1,772 Dominion 12,467 13,053 13,237 14,906 19,337 22,973 22,727 22,036 ♦] Estimates, actual figure ss not available.

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Table 7a.—Graph showing Movements in Seasonal Labour Force (Males), from August, 1946, to March, 1947

50

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Table 8. —External Migration, 1946-47, by Occupational Groups Source: Census and Statistics Department

51

Occupational Group. Arrivals. Departures. Net Gain (+) or Loss (—) for Year. Males. J Females. Total. Males. Females. Total. Primary industry 138 16 154 196 10 206 -52 Engineering, metalworking 342 11 353 160 7 167 +186 Textiles, clothing, leather 52 84 136 44 62 106 +30 Other manufacturing industry .. 132 24 156 86 17 103 +53 Building and construction 72 72 76 1 77 -5 Transport and communication .. 171 36 207 116 20 136 +71 Commerce and finance 222 86 308 225 86 311 -3 Clerical and professional 540 898 1,438 682 824 1,506 -68 Personal and domestic 32 120 152 37 69 106 +46 Other occupations 128 58 186 185 53 238 -52 Not actively employed 1,106 3,641 4,747 742 2,295 3,037 + 1,710 Not stated 114 83 197 25 33 58 + 139 Total 3,049 5,057 8,106 2,574 3,477 6,051 +2,055 Note.—This table includes only " permanent " arrivals and departures—i.e., those who intend to become permanent residents of New Zealand or those who intend to remain absent for one year or more.

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APPENDIX II List op Special Articles appearing in Monthly Reviews op Employment the Year and in the Half-yearly Survey op Employment, January, 1947 Monthly Review May, 1946 — Unemployment in the Reconversion Period. (Studies comparing New Zealand, Great Britain,. Canada, and United States), with Graphs and Tables. July, 1946 — Workmen employed in the Public Works, Housing, Forestry, Native, and Lands and SurveyDepartments, since March, 1939. August, 1946 — The Prospective Labour Position in Dairy Factories, 1946-47 Season. An analysis of Urban Maori Employment. October, 1946 Trends in Farm Employment, with Particular Emphasis on the Effects of Mechanization. Comparative Distribution of Labour Force in Great Britain and New Zealand. November, 1946 Analysis of Notified Vacancies for Males in the Engineering, Bush-sawmilling, Printing, and: Baking Industries. January, 1947 — Review of Employment. (Factors contributing to Present Labour Shortages in New Zealand)., A Study of the Employment Position in Footwear-manufacture. February, 1947 — Notes on Decentralization of Industry and Labour Turnover. J March, 1947 Immigration. The Clothing Industry. Coal-mining : Analysis of Vacancies. Half-yearly Survey, January, 1947 I. The Employment Information Returns. 11. Trends in Payroll Strengths and Vacancies. 111. Wage Pay-outs. IV. Juvenile Inflow into Industry. V. Labour Turnover. VI. Location of Industry. VII. The Employmnet Position and Outlook in October, 1946. Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given; printing (1,475 copies), £l3O.

By Authority: E. V. Paul, Government Printer, Wellington.—l 947. Price Is. 3d.]

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