H.—ll

Session 11. 1923. NE W ZEALA. N D.

DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR (REPORT OF THE).

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

REPORT. The Skcretary, Department of Labour, to the Hon. the Minister of Labour. Sir, — Department of Labour, Wellington, 16th June, 1923. I have the honour to present herewith the thirty-second annual report of this Department, for the information of His Excellency the Governor-General, and to be laid before Parliament in compliance with the Labour Department Act, 1908, and the Factories Act, 1921-22. The report covers the financial year Ist April, 1922, to 31st March, 1923. I have, Ate, F. W. Rowley, •The Hon. the Minister of Labour. Secretary of Labour. Conditions of Trade and Employment. Following upon the improvement in the trade prospects of the Dominion the number of unemployed on the books of the Department during the year has considerably fallen, and is at present 840, which is less than half the number registered at this time last year; no doubt any necessitous cases existing during the winter will be provided for on various sections of the public works set apart by the Public Works Department for the purpose. It is noteworthy that, with the exoeption of engineering, only a few men have been idle in the skilled trades, the applicants for employment being mostly from the ranks of unskilled labourers, with a few seamen, stewards and waiters, drivers, storemen, cooks, farm hands, clerks, and shop-assistants. This fact Las some bearing on the apprentice question, upon which comment is made on page 12. Total engagements made at Department's Employment Bureaux :— 1922-23—3,987 (2,296 to public works, 1,691 to private employment). Dependants, 4,327. In addition, 398 men were assisted by the advancing of railway fares or otherwise. 1921-22—4,989 (2,156 to Government works, 2,833 to private employment). Dependants, 4,719.

Factories Act.

I—H. 11.

Year. Number of Factories registered. Movement. Number of Factory Workers. Movement. 1913-14 (before the war) 1914-15 1915-16 (since the war began). . 1916-17 1917-18 1918-19 1919-20 (after the war) 1920-21 1921-22 1922-23 13,4-69 13,937 13.214 12.455 12,485 12,444 13,490 13,661 14,013 14,535 94 (increase) 468 723 (decrease) 759 _ „ 30 (increase) 41 (decrease) 1,046 (increase) 171 „ 352 522 87,517 88,812 83,011 78,188 79,653 82,783 85,591 96,603 96,980 92,608 919 (increase), 1,295 5,801. (decrease). 4,823 1,465 (increase). 3,130 2,808 11,012 377 4,372 (decrease).