H.—ll

XIII

Conclusion. Before concluding this report, I wish to refer to the future prospects of the district. During the year the ratepayers authorised the Borough Council to borrow £134,250 for the following works : Electric light and tramways, permanent road-formation, duplicating waterworks plant and destructor, drainage-construction, a park, new fire-brigade station, a municipal theatre, and other improvements. When this work is put in hand there should be sufficient to keep the local workers fully employed for some time, and with the money from the return of the recent wool-sales in circulation this district should be once again in a most flourishing and prosperous state. During the year I have visited at frequent intervals Hastings, Waipawa, Dannevirke, Wairoa, and many other towns in the Hawke's Bay district, and I am pleased to say that I find the employees working in clean, comfortable, and well-ventilated workrooms. I cannot conclude this report without expressing my sincere thanks to the local secretaries of both the employers' and employees' unions for their consideration, courtesy, and general assistance during the year. I have, &c, Ernest W. F. Gohns, The Chief Inspector of Factories, Wellington. Inspector of Factories.

NEW PLYMOUTH. Str, — Department of Labour, New Plymouth, 23rd April, 1910. I have the honour to submit, for your consideration, the annual report of this office for the year ending 31st March, 1910. Retail and Manufacturing Trades. Manufacturers and retailers have no cause for complaint at the amount of business done during the year just ended. Indeed, it is acknowledged by the majority of them that, compared with previous years, the turnover has been very satisfactory. In establishments where a large booking trade is done there are complaints that there is much money outstanding for goods supplied, but it is generally admitted that even in this respect the position is no worse than at the same period last year. The butter and cheese factories in Taranaki have had another very successful season from all points of view—the output has been much in excess of the previous year, and the quality of the product has been well maintained. Great improvements have been made in a number of factories, all of which have tended to improve the standard of cleanliness and efficiency. A new ferro-concrete butter-factory has been erected at Eltham, at great cost; it is equipped with the most modern machinery and appliances obtainable, and is a credit to the enterprise and business capacity of the directors. New and up-to-date cheese-factories have been erected at Oaonui and Warea, both of which are a credit to the companies controlling them. A first-class accommodation-house has been erected at Warea, with commodious sleeping and dining quarters for the use of the employees, and in this respect the Warea Company have set an example which might be copied by others. The relationship of the employers and employees in this important industry have been most cordial during the year. The tailoring, dressmaking, and millinery trades have had a fairly successful year ; comparatively little overtime was worked in any of these trades, but most of the operatives were constantly employed. The killing, freezing, and preserving industries have had a very successful beef season ; the supply of sheep and lambs has not been as great as was anticipated. Substantial improvements have been made at the Waitara works since my last annual report; these include a very large fellmongery, well equipped with machinery and appliances, including wool-drier, the whole driven by electric motors ; increased storage-capacity for sheep ; and a new suction-gas plant, to provide the extra power required, has also been installed. The beef-output from these works has averaged from 100 to 110 carcases per day. The boot-manufacturing trade has fluctuated considerably during the year, and there has not been sufficient work offering to keep all hands fully employed. The building trades during the latter part of the year have been very busy; all carpenters and painters have been fully employed, and painters have had difficulty in coping with the work offering. Oil-boring operations are being steadily persevered with, and the prospects of ultimate success are deemed to be very satisfactory by those most interested. The New Plymouth company have suffered severely in having their derricks destroyed by fire on two occasions, and they were also the victims of the recent gale. On the whole the year just ended will bear very favourable comparison from the point of view of prosperity and progress with.any of its predecessors. Casual Labour. During the year 425 applications for work in any capacity have been received. Of this number, 394 applicants were residents of New Zealand, while 31 were from other countries. Employment was found for 132 of this number —115 being sent to private and 17 to Government work. The number of men who seem to be almost perpetually on the move from one part of the Dominion to another is really remarkable. Of the total of 425 applicants, 216 were from places outside this district; these men seem to be satisfied if they can earn sufficient in one district to take them further on, and they do not