11.—44

30

Agricultural and Dairy Machinery and Implement Making. Official statistics, year ended 31st March 1926. 1927. 1928. Establishments (number) ■. ' .. 28 25 25 Employees (number) .. .. 1,040 885 779 Wages paid .. .. .. £220,482 £191,002 £168,483 Value of output .. .. .. £716,672 £607,339 £610,136 Value added by manufacture .. £366,889 £311,614 £320,848 It will be noted from the above figures that the number of employees engaged in the industry has decreased by 106, with a reduction in wages of £23,000 ; the value of output has increased by £3,000, and the value added by manufacture by £9,000. Reports from the South Island show that the industry as a whole has improved during the past twelve months. Employees have been engaged on full time, and prospects for the ensuing year are good. The following table shows the extent of the importation of machinery competitive with similar classes made in the Dominion. The total value of all agricultural machinery imported in 1926 was £176,317 ; 1927, £183,163 ; 1928, £182,569. The total value of dairying machinery imported in each of these three years was as follows : 1926, £140,951 ; 1927, £109,552 ; 1928, £153,192.

IMPORTS (CALENDAR YEARS).

Woollen-manufacturing. Official statistics, year ended 31st March :— 1926. 1927. 1928. Establishments (number) .. f, f ■ 12 12 12 Employees (number) .. .. \ [2,326 2,380 2,451 Wages paid.. .. .. £362,020 £369,323 £381,561 Value of output .. .. £1,159,771 £1,053,306 £1,209,150 Value added by manufacture.. £552,694 £550,169 £627,305 Imports, calendar years : — Woollen piece - goods (pure or containing wool) .. .. £813,537 £787,986 £785,593 Woollen-mills in the Otago District report a much better tone in the industry. One factory states business is brisk, necessitating addition to factory buildings and plant, while another factory in the same district reports that there has been a considerable increase in business compared with the previous year. In spite of the increased use of art silk, wool still remains at a price which is not only profitable to the grower, but also to the manufacturer. With wool-prices stabilized at to-day's figures, prospects for the coming year are decidedly hopeful. In the Auckland District manufacturers report business as quiet, and in some factories difficulty is experienced in keeping staffs fully employed. In other centres it is reported that competition is keen, in view of the fact that there is not sufficient demand to keep the factories employed at full working-capacity. Printing and Publishing. Official statistics, year ended 31st March : — 1926. 1927. 1928. Establishments (number) .. 325 344 346 Employees (number) .. .. 7,274 7,874 8,053 Wages paid .. .. £1,632,797 £1,752,291 £1,805,690 Value of output .. .. £4,407,655 £4,527,696 £4,411,052 Value added by manufacture.. £3,328,674 £3,421,672 £3,276,179 This industry shows a slight falling-off compared with the previous years, but it is difficult to report whether the slight decrease is due to slackness in printing establishments or newspaper offices, which latter are also included in the above figures. From the various centres, however, printing establishments report a general improvement in the business tone. The Auckland District goes so far as to state that the outlook is better than it has been for the past two years.

1926. 1927. 1928. Number. ! Value. Number. . Value. Number. Value. Agricultural machinery— £ £ £ Cultivators .. .. .. 121 1,442 541 7,102 1,282 7,667 Drills and sowers .. .. 662 9,211 1,233 17,629 336 6,309 Harrows, disc .. .. .. 329 5,028 621 8,102 296 3,219 Ploughs .. .. .. 1,205 17,363 848 9,419 876 9,262 Presses—wool, hay, and straw .. 22 1,287 32 2,045 20 1,733 Dairying machineryChurns .. .. .. 2,610 8,944 2,158 5,189 2,447 3,467 I