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PART lI.—EMPLOYMENT LEVELS SECTION I.—SUPPLY AND DISTRIBUTION OF LABOUR 67. New Zealand's labour force in 1947 is estimated at 533,000 males and 185,000 females. Of these, there are 13,000 persons serving in the Armed Forces. The total population of New Zealand (including Maoris) at the 31st December, 1946, was 893,000 males and 891,000 females, a total of 1,784,000. The working population, plus Armed Forces, represents approximately 60 per cent, of the total male population in the case of males and 21 per cent, in the case of females. 68. It is estimated that the distribution of persons in industry is as follows :

69. New Zealand is regarded as a predominantly primary producing country, and the value of farm products produced annually still exceeds, the value added to raw materials by her rapidly expanding secondary industries. Progress in the application of machinery to farming and improved farming methods generally have enabled primary production to hold its place as the chief contributor to New Zealand's national income, in spite of the increasing demands made upon the labour force by secondary and tertiary industries.

70. The development of New Zealand's manufacturing industries by lessening her dependence on imports from overseas has reduced the effects upon her economy of fluctuations in international trading conditions. The increase in manufacturing activity is illustrated by the following table of numbers employed in successive years, as shown by the statistics of factory production published in the "New Zealand Official YearBook " (figures for 1944-45 and subsequent years are not yet available)

71. The figures show the rapidity of the pre-war expansion and the relative stability in numbers employed during the war years, in spite of heavy withdrawals of men for the Armed Forces.

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— Males. Females. Per Cent. Per Cent. Farming and other primary industries .. .. 34 4 Manufacturing (secondary) industries 31 22 Servicing or tertiary industries 35 74 All industry 100 100

Factory Production : Number of Persons engaged. Year. Males. Females. 1935-36 65,200 21,400 1936-37 72,000 24,400 1937-38 76,200 26,200 1938-39 76,900 25,700 1939-40 80,200 28,600 1940-41 81,700 32,300 1941-42 82,000 35,200 1942-43 78,500 36,100 1943-44 81,700 36,200