29

H.—llB

VII.—SEASONAL FLUCTUATIONS IN EMPLOYMENT. Explanatory Note. In interpreting the preceding Tables 111, IV, V, VI, and Graphs C and D, illustrating the extent and incidence of seasonal fluctuations in employment in the Dominion during the calendar years 1926 and 1927, the following remarks are to be borne in mind :— Scope op Data. The Tables 111, IV, V, and VI and the Graphs 0 and D herewith are based upon employment in (a) the manufacturing industries, (b) the building industry, (c) the Public Works Department. In the case of (a) and (b) the statistics relate to wage-earning employees (i.e., actual factory hands, &c.) and are exclusive of working proprietors, managers, overseers, accountants, and clerks. The figures for (c) Public Works Department cover tradesmen and labourers employed by the Department. The investigation has been limited to the above groups owing to the absence of data relating to employment in the other branches of industry and commerce. According to the 1926 census there were in April of that year, roughly speaking, 240,000 wage-earners in the Dominion. These have been classified under the following headings : — „ „„ Number of Wage-earners UIOU P- (nearest Thousand). Agricultural and pastoral .. .. .. .. .. .. 44 Manufacturing .. .. .. .. .. .. 74 Transport and communication .. .. .. .. 35 Commerce .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 32 Building and construction .. .. .. .. .. 16 Mines and quarrying .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 6 Forest occupations ..» .. .. .. .. .. 4 Sport and entertainment .. .. .. .. .. 2 Personal and domestic .. .. .. .. .. 6 Labourers .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 20 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 239 The information relating to the manufacturing industries is restricted to those set out on the list given at end of this note. It covers only those establishments which have at least two persons engaged or use motive power. That bearing upon the building industry is restricted to the establishments of the same size, and is exclusive of building operations carried on by the General Government. The numbers given for the manufacturing and building industries represent the numbers of wage-earners employed on the fifteenth or nearest representative day each month, whereas those for the Public Works Department represent the daily average for each month (i.e., 6 workmen engaged for J day=3). Treatment oe Figures. Owing to the wide differences between the numbers of persons engaged in the three groups of industries dealt with it has been necessary to employ what are known as " relative numbers " in order to make intelligent comparisons between the figures. The principle of "relative numbers" is the expression, in terms of percentage ratios, of the different classes constituting statistical series, the crude figures for which are, owing to difference in character or magnitude, difficult of comparison. The base adopted in arriving at the figures from which the curves on the attached graphs have been plotted has been the arithmetic mean for the twenty-four months in each case. A number of 108 represents an increase of 8 per cent, above the mean, while 92 represents a decrease of 8 per cent. It should be carefully borne in mind that the comparisons are based on the percentage relationship between each figure and the mean, and that the percentage differences represent different numbers of workmen. * Industries covered. The manufacturing industries included in the tables comprise the following : — Animal food — Books and publications— Meat freezing and preserving. Printing, publishing, and bookbinding. Ham and bacon curing. Musical instruments— Fish curing and preserving. Piano, &c., making and repairing. Butter, cheese, and condensed-milk manufacture. Ornaments and minor art products— Vegetable food— Picture-frame making. Grain-milling. Basket, perambulator, &c., making. Biscuit and confectionery making. Equipment for sports and games — Fruit-preserving and jam-making. Billiard-table making. Sugar-refining. Designs, medals, type and dies— Baking-powder manufacture. Engraving and stamp-making. Drinks, narcotics, and stimulants — Ammunition and explosives— Brewing and malting. Ammunition, explosives, and fireworks making. Colonial-wine making. Machines, tools, and implements— Aerated-water manufacture. Agricultural-machinery making. Coffee and spice grinding and preparing. Brush and broom making. Tobacco-preparing and cigarette-making. Carriage and vehicles— Sauce, piekle, and vinegar making. Coachbuilding. Animal matters (not otherwise classed) — Motor and cycle engineering. Soap and candle making. Harness, saddlery, and leatherware — Glue-manufacture. Saddlery and harness making. Sausage-casing manufacture. Leather-goods making. Boiling-down and manure-making. Tanning. Working in wood— Fellmongery and wool-scouring. Coopering and casemaking. Ships, boats, and their equipment— Sawmilling, sash and door making. Ship and boat building. Woodware and joinery manufacture. Sail, tent, and oilskin making. Vegetable produce for fodder— House-furnishings— Grain-crushing. Furniture and eabinetmaking. Paper-manufacturers — Blindmaking. Paper-milling. Mattress-making. Paper bag and box making. Rug and mat making. Heat, light, and power — Chemicals and by-products— •Gas making and supply. Ink-manufacture. Electricity generation and supply. Starch-manufacture. Electric tramways. Chemicals-manufacture. Processes relating to stone, clay, glass, &e. — Paint and varnish manufacture. Lime crushing or burning and cementmaking. Sheep-dip manufacture. Brick, tile, and pottery ma,king. Match-manufacture. Leadlight-making and glass-bevelling. Boot-polish manufacture. Electroplating. Patent medicines and preparations manufacture. Pumice-insulation making. Textile fabrics — Concrete block. or pipe and fibrous-plaster making. Woollen-milling. Metals other than gold or silver— Flock-milling. Tinned-plate and sheet-metal working. Apparel— Iron and brass founding. Boot and shoe making. Engineering. Hosiery-making. Electrical engineering. Umbrella-making. Rangemaking. Clothing and waterproof making. Wireworking. Fibrous materials — Iron-smelting. Rope and twine making. Precious metals— Bag and sack making. Jewellery and watchmaking. Flax-milling. Miscellaneous.