H.—44.

APPENDIX.

MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES. Fmil-f reserving and Jam-making. Official statistics, year ended 31st March : — 1929. 1930. 1931. Establishments (number) .... 9 7 10 Employees (number) . . .. .. 325 298 352 Wages paid.. .. .. .. £56,862 £54,983 £63,128 Value of output .. .. .. £327,722 £300,424 £330,522 Value added by manufacture .. .. £132,433 £132,204 £135,762 Imports, calendar years : — Jams and preserves (including preserved £ £ £ ginger) .. .. .. .. 44,959 26,772 10,411 Fruits, bottled and preserved in syrup — Apricots .. .. .. .. 28,980 22,042 16,384 Peaches .. .. .. .. 65,803 58,330 43,535 Pears .. .. .. .. 2,024 728 1,330 Fruit-pulp, n.e.i. .. .. .. 4,257 5,362 1,907 Total .. .. £146,023 £113,234 £73,567 The statistics for 1931 show substantial increases over those of 1930 in regard to number of employees, wages paid, and value of output. Import figures for 1931 show a further decline of £39,667 when compared with the previous year. Reports for the current year received by the Department indicate that the trade in jams and fruit-preserving will show a decline for 1932. The sales of candied peel remain steady, one district using exclusively locally grown lemons. Lime and Cement. Official statistics, year ended 31st March : — 1929. 1930. 1931. Establishments (number) .. ".. 29 31 40 Employees (number) .. . . 875 928 912 Wages'paid .. .. .. .. £223,219 £222,831 £205,414 Value of output .. .. .. £914,232 £928,200 £878,732 Value added by manufacture .. .. £721,518 £737,968 £693,766 Imports, calendar years :— Cement, building (cwt.) .. .. 29,558 34,834 7,508 Value .. .. .. .. £8,973 £8,142 £2,936 The figures reflect to some extent the decline in building activity, and reports indicate a further decline for the 1932 period. The rebuilding activity in Napier and Hastings following the earthquake disaster of February, 1931, is responsible for the abnormal use of cement in those districts at the present time. Engineering. Official statistics, year ended 31st March : — 1929. 1930. 1931. Establishments (number) .. .. 205 205 200 Employees (number) .. .. 3,741 3,890 3,455 Wages paid .. .. .. £803,273 £809,884 £725,690 Value of output .. .. .. £2,005,978 £1,982,720 £1,692,214 Value added by manufacture .. £1,276,017 £1,263,454 £1,115,380 The reports for the current year are not reassuring, several of the larger units in the industry advising a reduction in turnover of 33 to 50 per cent, compared with 1931. A greater proportion of the work offering is for repairs, for which there is keen competition. The manufacture of lawnmowers under present conditions continues to progress, two companies in New Zealand now making this class of machine. One company reports several new lines, such as automatic stokers, gas-meter castings, grinding-mills, bakelite mouldings. Sauce, Pickle, and Vinegar making. Official statistics, year ended 31st March :— 1929. 1930. 1931. Establishments (number) .... 24 23 22 Employees (number) .. . . 283 262 234 Wages" paid .. .. .. £50,577 £48,652 £45,270 Value of output .. .. .. £230,769 £218,832 £203,741 Value added by manufacture .. £126,771 £124,222 £116,610 Imports, calendar years : — Pickles (gallons) .. .. .. 4,249 2,746 1,244 Value .. £2,593 £1,870 £747 Sauce and chutney (gallons) .. .. 17,035 15,327 10,046 Value £17,417 £14,889 £11,273 Vinegar (gallons) .. .. .. 32,657 21,670 16,225 Value .. .. .. .. £8,864 £7,643 £4,186 The production figures under present conditions compare fairly favourably with those of 1930. No improvement in the current year is reported, and trade generally is for the cheaper line of goods offering.

21