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11. SAWMILLING AND BUSH-FELLING There was evidence of a shortage of personnel in the sawmilling and bush-felling industries. The suggestion was made that persons previously engaged in these industries were not returning thereto. Better housing and social amenities would undoubtedly attract further operatives into these occupations. There would appear to be scope for immigration, if men capable of work in this industry are procurable. 12. SECONDARY INDUSTRIES A major advance in manufacturing production has taken place since 1931, The expansion has been most marked in the engineering field, particularly in the field of electrical engineering. There has also been an expansion in the clothing-manufacturing field and in the motor-body-building field. The impetus given to manufacturing during the war will have important repercussions in the post-war period. In practically every phase of secondary industrial production there was evidence of a shortage of operatives. The fall in the birth-rate during the depression period from 1030 to 1936 is at the present day resulting in a serious reduction in the number of adolescents available for industry. This shortage will continue for some six or seven years. There is a serious shortage of female operatives for hospital work and for many manufacturing industries, particularly the clothing industries, and for domestic work. We endorse the Government's action in endeavouring to arrange for the immigration of hospital nurses and workers and of domestic servants. If and when housing is available, steps should be taken to secure immigrants suitable for secondary industrial work. The shortage of houses may for a time seriously limit the number of married persons who can be brought into the country, but steps should be taken to have the machinery in operation and plans ready for the time when immigration will be possible. 13. TERTIARY INDUSTRIES There has been a marked advance in practically all phases of the tertiary industries over the past few decades. Although there was no evidence of acute shortages of labour in the transport and communication field, there was proof that present services were being badly strained, and that any expansion of population or of industry would require an expansion of these services. A marked feature of the groups " Commerce and Finance " and " Public Administration and Professional " has been the large increase in the number of female workers involved. Women in substantial numbers have entered these fields during the war, and although there will be some recession in post-war years, yet they have proved themselves so satisfactory at this type of work that no doubt their numbers will continue to be relatively high. 14. GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES There has been a major expansion in the number of governmental employees, both central and local. The increase has been more than proportionate to the increase in population and is due to the extension of the field of Government activity. 15. EDUCATION Due to the cessation of building activities during the depression and the recent war, there is a marked shortage of educational buildings. The raising of the school age to six years, and its subsequent lowering to five, created &

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