H.—44.

APPENDIX A. Manufacturing Industries. Fruit-f reserving and Jam-making. Official statistics, year ended 31st March : — 1925. 1926. 1927. Establishments (number) . . . . .. 7 7 8 Employees (number) . . .. .. 299 247 260 Wages paid .. .. .. .. £47,928 £44,625 £45,814 Value of output .. .. .. £239,742 £234,775 £273,436 Value added by manufacture .. .. £84,792 £83,720 £107,359 Imports, calendar years : — Jams and preserves (including preserved ginger) .. .. .. .. £24,796 £27,738 £23,250 Fruits bottled and preserved in syrup — Apricot .. .. .. .. £21,217 £23,352 £31,882 Peaches .. .. .. .. £59,553 £45.989 £48,645 Pears.. .. .. .. .. £10,604 £9,467 £6,987 Fruit-pulp n.e.i. .. .. .. £4,604 £4,501 £5,660 Total . .. .. .. £120,774 £111,047 £116,424 It will be readily seen from the above tables that the fruit preserving and canning industry has fluctuated to some extent during the past three years. It is a comparatively small industry, but the imports indicate that there are possibilities of appreciable expansion. Recent heavy imports of dried fruits, jams, and preserves from South Africa are said to be competing severely with local products, A firm in Otago has recently commenced the manufacture of preserved ginger. Lime and Cem,ent. Official statistics, year ended 31st March : — 1925. 1026. 1927. Establishments (number) .. . . .. 28 26 26 Employees (number) .. . . .. 939 851 899 Wages'paid .. .. .. .. £214,109 £207,282 £216,969 Value of output .. .. .. £965,997 £904,955 £925,003 Value added by manufacture .. .. £732,338 £684,551 £687,266 Imports, calendar years : — Cement, building (cwt.) .. .. .. 62,967 49,801 82,846 Value .. .. .. .. £12,464 £9,969 £15,591 This industry has practically secured the whole of the local business, but there appears to be a tendency for imports of cement to increase at falling prices. The demand for cement is increasing consistently, and some of the New Zealand works are being extended and methods of production improved. Business in the industry is generally regarded as satisfactory. Engineering. Official statistics, year ended 31st March : — 1925. 1926. 1927. Establishments (number) .. .. .•. 177 196 214 Employees (number) .. .. .. 3,509 3,807 3,778 Wages'paid .. .. .. .. £702,662 £802,707 £786,161 Value of output .. .. .. £1,846,218 £1,993,911 £1,847,662 Value added by manufacture .. .. £1,163,840 £1,282,314 £1,207,999 This industry has, in general, been passing through a period of depression, though some branches report reasonably favourable trade conditions. The change over from steam plants to gas, oil, and electric-power units has tended to divert a great deal of business ov rseas. Apart from new work, business in the way of overhauls, repairs, and renewals is being lost as steam boilers and steam engines continue to go out of use. The demand for heavy mining machinery has also fallen off during recent years, and one firm engaged in this line that employed eighty hands a year ago is now giving work to only half that number. Ships' repairs and the construction of small craft has been extremely quiet in recent months. Manv foundries, brass and iron, have experienced great difficulty in retaining their employees. As a matter of fact, numbers have been discharged, while others can only be engaged part time. Recently there has been a slight improvement. It has been reported that the increase in the tariff of 5 per cent, on certain brass goods is beginning to have a beneficial effect. Prices of New Zealand-made brassware have been reduced 10 per cent., and for some items more than this. The anticipated increased demand

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