H—llA

units are in a number of cases contemplating expansions. With the possibility of additional industrial premises being erected in the near future further expansion of industrial activity in the district is likely. Seasonal fluctuations of employment in the district influenced the movement of male unskilled vacancies over the period, but the general trend was a downward one from 140 at Ist April, 1946, to 76 on 31st March, 1947. Demands for skilled men showed some variation over the period, but totalled 68 at Ist April, 1946, and 61 at 31st March, 1947. Male vacancies for juveniles reached a peak of 47 in October, 1946, but fell to 22 by 31st March, 1947. Female notified vacancies remained at a fairly constant level over the period totalling 228 on 31st March, 1947, compared with 255 twelve months earlier. Vacancies for juveniles stood at 71 and skilled vacancies at 56 on 31st March, 1947. Only limited demands for farm labour have been forthcoming, and these were largely for single men or youths. On the other hand, vacancies offering accommodation to married farm workers have been extremely difficult to locate, even for men with considerable experience. Vacancies for male labour in building and construction have varied considerably over the period—e.g., 19 at 30th April, 1946, 73 at 31st October, 1946, and 35 at 31st March, 1947. Four out of every five of the vacancies at the latter date were for tradesmen. Engineering tradesmen have remained steadily in demand and the 29 vacancies on 31't March, 1947, included 24 for tradesmen. Both of the freezing-works in the district recruited adequate labour to man the chains during the height of the season. The Feilding Works could, however, have absorbed up to 30 more had men been available. All possible assistance was given, but accommodation difficulties restricted the possibility of meeting the full requirements of this works. Female vacancies in clothing and textile industries accounted throughout the period for at least one-half of all female vacancies in the district. At 31st March, 1947, the 116 vacancies included 55 in clothing-factories, 18 in woollen-mills, and 43 in the manufacture of other textile articles. Skilled workers and juveniles were mostly in demand. Hospital vacancies remained fairly constant (32 at 31st March, 1947), while those in hotels and restaurants steadily declined from a peak of 51 at 30th June, 1946, to 23 at 31st March, 1947. Masterton District (Estimated male labour force, 10,600) 126. This district, with predominant sheep and dairy farming activities and their related seasonal industries, also experiences considerable fluctuations in employment. Dairy factories require male employees from August onwards, with a gradual build-up of labour, while operations commence in the freezing-works early in December. During last season's operations a number of the dairy factories experienced difficulties in obtaining the full complement of labour desired, while the freezing-works remained short of its full requirements until the end of shearing operations released labour from that source. On the other hand, local employment was difficult to find during the winter, but the absorption of some 20 men on public works, plus a close and continuous exploration of all other avenues of employment, enabled the position to be fully met. Female workers have been in keen demand for clothing-factories and hospitals, but few female vacancies were notified during the year in other industries. There is evidence of some decentralization of industry to this district, and several small factories have opened recently. Notifications of vacancies for male workers in dairy factories reached a peak of 23 on 15th November, 1946. The Department has met the need for further accommodation at a number of the dairy factories in the southern area through the conversion of buildings in the ex-prisoner-of-war camp at Featherston to flats for married men. Lower Hutt District (Estimated male labour force, 19,200) 127. From time to time attention has been drawn to the exceptional acute shortage of labour, both male and female, existing in this district, and to the extreme difficulties which would inevitably arise in the staffing of new undertakings in this area. The position still shows no signs of improving, and the October, 1946, survey conducted by the Department revealed that for every six males at present employed in the Hutt Valley one more is required to overtake the deficiency, while in the case of females the

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