PL—ll
2
A large amount of work has been done by the Department in obtaining information, through its agents, as to the conditions of trade and of the output of different industries, the facilities it has in this direction being placed at the service of the Department of Munitions and Supplies and of the Efficiency Hoards. All assistance possible has been rendered to the Discharged Soldiers Information Department, but returned soldiers have not yet found it necessary to avail themselves to any extent of this Department's services. Two hundred and ninety-three discharged soldiers have made application to the Department: 105 of these have been found employment, and 155 have been assisted by reduced fares. Under the Military Service Act. the Department's officers assisted in ihe enrolment of the Expeditionary Force Reserve by the distribution of notices to all shop and factory occupiers, and a large amount of work was done in this connection. Persons assisted. Since the establishment of the Department in 1891 the following have received practical assistance through the Men's Employment Bureaux : —
The number assisted during the past year (including 500 assisted by reduced fares) shows a decrease on last year's figures of 3,012. 01' the amount of £419 repayable by workers for fares advanced, £254 had been collected by the 31 si, March. Domestic Servants and Others assisted by Women's Branches from the Ist April, /,9/fl, Io the 31st March, 1917. Auckland, 476; Wellington, 856; Nelson, 182; Christchurch, 282; Dunedin, 161: total, 1,957. In each town except Wellington there was a decrease in the number assisted; Wellington showed an increase of fifty. Factoiui-S Act. The following figures, which show a considerable decrease in the number of factories and persons engaged therein, during the past two years, are evidence of the effect of the withdrawal from civil employment, of a large number of men for defence purposes:—•
The paragraph dealing with overtime worked in factories shows that greatly increased overtime has been necessary on account of the decrease in the number of workers and the increase of work in many trades. Overtime. The total overtime worked by females and boys in the fifteen principal towns of the Dominion amounted to 489,374 hours, as against 432,250 hours worked during (lie previous year. The boot and shoe trade was responsible for 32,178 hours; lint, except for hat and cap making and dressmaking and millinery, which again show substantial increases, the trades mentioned in hist report showed considerable decreases, the overtime worked in ammunition-works being less than half—viz., 16,569 hours, as against 41,534 hours. No record is obtained of the number of hours overtime worked by males above sixteen years of age. Certificates of Fi,tness to Boys and Girls to work in Factories. On comparing the figures in regard to the number of certificates issued, it will lie seen that this year shows a total increase of forty-six—viz., from 2,.'163 to 2,409. Of this number 1,158 were issued to boys (an increase of fifty-eight), and 1,251 to girls (a decrease of twelve). There were forty-three prosecutions, and convictions were obtained in forty-one cases.
Year. Total. Married. Single. ,, , , Private Dependants. ,,, , r Wi rk. Government Work. ] 891.-1916 (twentv-fivp years) 1916-17 115,502 2,966 40,741 1,140 [ 74,761 1,826 149,448 51,866 8,518 2,216 152,961 54,082 63,636 750 Totals 118,468 41,881 76,587 64,886
Year. Factories. Movement. Factory Workers. Movement. 1894-95 1901 05 1913-14 1914-15 1915-16 1916-17 4.109 9,123 13,469 13,937 13.214 12.455 5,014 (increase) 4,346'"' „ 468 ■ „ 723 (decrease) 759 29,879 67,713 87,517 88,812 83.011 78.1,88 37,834 (increase). 19,804 1,295 5.801 (decrease). 4.823