H. —44.

It has been stated by many industrialists that the loss in working-time of factories on Saturdays will not result in a proportionate loss in production, as that morning is not regarded as being a period during which production equals that of the rest of the week. In some industries there will also be a saving in the cost of starting and operating machinery and plant used only for four hours' operation. A number of industries will be immediately affected by increased purchasing-power of a large number of workers, which will bring additional turnover during the transitional stage, thus compensating in some degree for increased labour costs. Many manufacturers are already striving to evolve ways and means of further improving productive efficiency, and it is considered that there is scope for definite savings to be made. The Department is assisting industry in every instance where it is found possible to reorganize, with the object of stabilization at a new level of production. Where the effect of the new industrial legislation is proving adverse to our manufacturing industries, investigations are being made to ascertain ways and means of assisting local factories to meet overseas competition. TIMBER. The production of the main varieties of timber in the Dominion for the past ten years (ending 31st March) is given in the following table : —

Included in the table above under other species not specified are Pinus insignis and beech. The production of these species for the past five years is as under : — Pinus Insignis. Beech. Sup. ft. Sup. ft. 1931 .. .. ■■ •• 12,739,925 7,680,913 1932 .. .. .. •• 13,404,700 5,756,868 1-933 .. .. ■■ 14,676,010 5,781,441 1934 .. .. .. ■■ 21,494,382 6,972,717 1935 .. .. .. •• 25,921,766 7,725,198 The above statistics show that the production of timber increased by approximately 46,100,000 superficial feet during the 1934-35 period, an increase of 18-1 per cent. Incidentally, this was the highest production recorded since 1929-30. Employment figures show a substantial increase in the number of workers engaged in sawmills. The following figures illustrate this increase during the past four years : 1931-32, 4,591 ; 1932-33, 4,787 ; 1933-34, 5,323 ; 1934-35, 6,325. Exports. For the twelve months ended the 31st December, 1935, there was an increase in exports of timber of 5,056,142 superficial feet and of £43,886 in value in comparison with the figures for the previous year. The relative figures for the two periods are shown in the table below : —

19

Ye-cHded Total. Kauri. Rimu. White-pine. Matai. Totara. Others. 31st March, Sup. ft. Sup. ft. Sup. ft. Sup. ft. Sup. ft. Sup. ft. Sup. ft. 1926 .. 353,224,196 22,765,877 195,451,758 75,634,869 26,141,027 14,109,576 19,121,089 1927 .. 305,675,258 18,474,981 170,498,282 65,490,059 19,380,469 14,179,462 17,652,005 1928 .. 269,783,000 15,874,000 156,314,000 53,736,000 15,207,000 15,728,000 17,924,000 1929 .. 270,214,420 10,742,967 156,239,992 56,790,306 15,752,744 8,610,639 22,077,772 1930 .. 282,405,173 10,471,297 163,293,288 58,505,364 17,972,243 9,046,159 23,116,822 1931 .. 229,468,022 8,943,480 124,998,825 49,009,109 13,917,187 9,467,697 23,131,724 1932 .. 154,192,510 6,891,352 71,082,074 43,161,299 7,474,867 5,344,100 20,238,818 1933 .. 166,269,410 5,410,390 76,192,513 47,997,700 8,160,873 6,346,942 22,160,992 1934 .. 197,654,900 4,945,843 96,125,000 47,949,396 10,759,556 7,197,389 30,677,716 1935 .. 243,781,675 5,552,602 125,488,165 52,294,065 13,879,628 8,867,383 37,699,832

1934. 1933. Sup. ft. Value. | Sup. ft. j Value. £(N.Z.) £(N.Z.) White-pine .. .. 22,791,352 213,287 22,708,732 214,243 Rimu .. .. 7,150,514 51,472 9,009,572 69,820 Beech .. •• 2,410,208 25,409 2,766,023 29,350 Kauri .. ■■ 677,644 , 18,424 626,521 18,044 Pinus insignis .. 712,205 5,618 1,606,846 9,660 Other kinds .. .. ■ • j Total .. 34,528,683 320,465 39,584,825 364,351