H—ll

(8) In the tertiary or servicing industries very substantial gains were recorded by wholesale and retail trade and by education and related activities (including museums, art galleries, private colleges, &c.). The position in the main tertiary groups is summarized in the following table:—

Surveyed Labour Force in Selected Tertiary Industries

Although it again achieves the highest total gain, the wholesale and retail group nevertheless fell considerably short of its expansion of 2,324 during the preceding twelve months. The improvement in hospitals, although slow, is appreciable. (9) The labour force in the building and construction industry continued to rise from 39,321 in October, 1948, to 40,407 in October, 1949. The greater increase in manpower took place in the house-construction sector of the industry. (10) In afforestation, bush sawmilling, and coal-mining the gains were smaller, but all these industries continued to expand. (11) Unemployment has remained at a remarkably low level. The highest total of persons registered as unemployed occurred in July, 1949, when there were 196 men and 11 women registered. By March, 1950, the numbers had fallen away to 19 men and 2 women, the lowest figures yet recorded. Attention is drawn to Table 111 of Appendix I (see page 60) which sets out the numbers of persons placed by the Department's district offices during the twelve months. It will be observed that the total persons placed was 16,146 males and 6,047 females. (12) The rates of labour turnover per six months revealed by half-yearly returns of employment information show no change between October, 1948, and October, 1949, for surveyed industries as a whole, the rate for male labour remaining at 18 per cent, per six months and the rate for female labour at 27 per cent. (13) In the surveyed industries (the main exclusion being farming) the weekly payout in wages and salaries, including overtime and bonus earnings and covering juveniles and adults and males and females, was £3,632,663 in respect of 450,104 employees in October, 1949. This represents a per capita pay-out at an average of £8 Is. sd. The comparable figure for October, 1948, was £7 7s. 9d. (14) The employment position has lost none of its buoyancy over the twelve months here reviewed. The increased vacancies recorded by employers indicate the optimism of industry regarding markets for its goods and services, and also reflect the easing of supply difficulties during the period. Section 2—Current Characteristics op Industrial Welfare and Industrial Kelations (1) A further increase in the number of factories in New Zealand and the number of factory workers is recorded. Eegistered factories increased by 546 to reach a total of 20,246 at 31st March, 1950. Employment in factories then covered 131,726 males

5

— October, 1948. October, 1949. Gain. Rail transport 21,734 21,934 200 Post and Telegraph 16,052 16,905 853 Wholesale and retail trade 75,142 76,821 1,679 Hospitals 18,790 19,273 483 Education and related activities 18,347 19,737 1,390 Government Administration* 18,413 18,651 238 Hotels and catering 17,329 17,340 11 Insurance, banking, and financial 11,749 12,218 469 * Excludes non-tertiary activities such as coal-mining, construction, <ftc., and also excludes activities covered in othe groups such as hospitals, education, insurance, post and telegraph, railways.