EL—ll.

1938. NEW ZEALAND.

DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR (REPORT OF THE).

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

REPORT.

The Secretary, Department of Labour, to the Hon. the Minister of Labour. Department of Labour, Wellington, Ist June, 1938. Sir, — I have the honour to present herewith the forty-seventh 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, 1937, to 31st March, 1938. A separate report will be submitted regarding the Employment Division of the Department. I have, &c., J. S. Hunter, Secretary of Labour. The Hon. the Minister of Labour. EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT. A separate report is submitted concerning activities in connection with the Employment Promotion Fund. Increased employment is reflected in several of the tables embodied in this report, notably in those relating to the number of factory workers and the number of apprentices employed. As mentioned in the section relating to shops, the figures given relating to the number of shops and the assistants employed are merely estimates, and regard should be had to this when considering the increases shown.

FACTORIES ACT.

I—H. 11.

Number of i Number of j Year. Factories ; Movement. j Factory ; Movement, registered. I ! Workers. ! __ 1916-17 .. .. .. 12,455 759 (decrease) 78,188 4,823 (decreaseV 1926-27 .. .. .. 16,619 308 (increase) 103,404 1,083 (increase). 1927-28 .. .. .. 16,782 163 „ 102,622 782 (decrease). 1928-29 .. .. .. 16,677 105 (decrease) 102,795 173 (increase). 1929-30 .. .. .. 17,082 405 (increase) 104,448 1,653 „ 1930-31 .. .. 17.019 63 (decrease) 104,377 71 (decrease). 1931-32 .. .. .. 16,253 766 „ 89,932 14,445 1932-33 .. .. .. 16,176 77 „ 86,222 3,710 1933-34 .. .. .. 15,598 578 „ 85,968 254 1934-35 .. .. .. 15,900 302 (increase) 93,592 7,624.(increase). 1935-36 .. .. .. 16,434 534 „ 102,275 8,683 1936-37 .. .. .. 17,126 692 ,, 111,041 8,766 1937-38 .. .. .. 17,559 433 123,551 12,510