H.—44.

The following table summarizes the principal statistics for the years ended 31st March, 1934 and 1935 :—

Analysis of the data for the various industries discloses the following principal differences for the years 1933-34 and 1934-35 : — Persons employed. Increases. —Clothing, 1,517 ; sawmilling, 1,002 ; coachbuilding and motor engineering, 982 ; general engineering, 489 ; printing, 335 ; furniture, 298. Decreases. —Butter, cheese, and condensed milk, 559* ; biscuit and confectionery, 147f ; meatfreezing, 59 ; ham and bacon, 32. Salaries and Wages paid. Increases. —Sawmilling, £226,077 ; coachbuilding and motor engineering, £196,357 ; clothing, £120,973 ; general engineering, £.103,397 ; printing, £69,346 ; furniture, £51,781. Decreases. —Butter, cheese, and condensed milk, £73,351 ; biscuit and confectionery, £38,934 ; ham and bacon, £11,007. Added Value. From an industrial viewpoint, the best measure of the importance of an industry is the value created by the manufacturing operations carried on by the industry. This value is obtained by deducting the cost of materials used from the gross value of the products, and is referred to as the " added value." As the basis of the added value is the value of the products, it is clear that it must be affected by fluctuations in values, and this fact must not be overlooked when use is made of this figure. Increases. —Sawmilling, £511,571 ; coachbuilding and motor engineering, £336,014 ; general engineering, £203,322 ; printing, £200,780 ; clothing, £127,573 ; brewing and malting, £127,057. Decreases. —Meat-freezing, £198,225 ; grain-milling, £70,525 ; fellmongering and wool-scouring, £50,240.

* Previous years' returns included approximately 200 persons not actually employed in dairy factories, ■f Previous years' returns included an unknown number on sales staff.

16

I ear ' Index Numbers, 1934-35 1933-34. 1934-35. (1933-34 = 100). Establishments (number) .. .. 5,028 5,270 105 Persons engaged — — Males (number) .. .. .. 55,299 59,874 108 Females (number) .. .. .. 17,352 19,484 112 Total (number) .. .. 72,651 79,358 109 Salaries and wages paid — £ £ To males .. .. .. .. 10,611,161 11,602,983 109 To females .. .. .. 1,495,339 1,641,390 110 Total .. .. .. 12,106,500 13,244,373 109 Motive power (horse-power) .. .. 645,547 721,223 112 £ £ Cost of materials used.. .. .. 46,919,193 52,084,741 111 Other expenses .. .. .. 8,257,261 9,002,456 109 Value of products .. .. .. 71,770,872 79,324,473 111 Added value 24,851,679 27,239,732 110 Value of— £ £ Land and buildings .. .. .. 22,159,073 23,159,573 105 Plant and machinery .. .. 42,231,331 44,108,877 104 Total .. .. .. 64,390,404 67,268,450 104