H—ll

Vacancies for males totalled 195 at 31st March, 1948, as compared with 175 at the -end of the previous year. Freezing-works required 20 men, fertilizer-works 18, and engineering 20, while both the Railways and the Post and Telegraph Department were in need of men. Female notified vacancies were 95 (180 at 31st March, 1947) of which 15 existed in the clothing-manufacturing industry and 49 in hospitals (including 34 nurses). Wanganui District There is a good range of industrial activity in this district. Seasonal industries other than farming include freezing-works, dairy factories, and wool-stores, and between 15th October, 1947, and 15th January, 1948, these absorbed some 670 additional male workers. Secondary industries are well represented and provide a wide scope for employment in engineering and metal-working (about 850 male workers), building and construction (over 1,000), and in woollen-mills, fertilizer-works, furniture-making and woodworking, printing, clothing and footwear factories, town sawmilling, tanneries, &c. A match-manufacturing company is to commence operations shortly. Vacancies for male workers at 31st March, 1948, totalled 343, as compared with 167 at 31st March, 1947. These included 114 skilled workers and 149 unskilled (51 and 81 respectively at 31st March, 1947). Freezing-works required 14 workers, woollenmills 12, engineering and metals 13, and building and construction 21, while Railways a,lso had substantial vacancies. Youths are experiencing difficulty in finding positions as apprentices in the engineering, furniture, and plumbing trades, largely due to the shortage of journeymen. Female notified vacancies were 217 (as compared with 94 at 31st March, 1947), including 121 required for clothing-manufacture, 24 for hotels, and 41 for hospitals (25 nurses). Palmerston North District Industrial expansion in this district has been maintained during the year and there is now more scope for employment of Maori labour, particularly in the Otaki and Dannevirke areas. The two freezing-works in the district have been fully manned during the season and record killings have been made at both works. Accommodation was provided for an increased number of workers, and this assisted materially in providing a full labour quota. No difficulty was experienced by dairy factories in obtaining an adequate supply of labour, but production dropped earlier than usual in the season owing to the •exceptionally dry weather. Male notified vacancies at 31st March, 1948, were 246, including 61 skilled and 112 unskilled, as compared with 159 at 31st March, 1947, including the same number of skilled and 76 unskilled persons required. Apart from Railways and Post and Telegraph, the principal shortages of labour are in building and construction (20), engineering and metals (12), and builders' woodwork (13). Female notified vacancies were 184 (228 at 31st March, 1947), including 67 females required by clothing-manufacture, 39 by other textiles, and 25 by hospitals. Masterton District This district, with predominant sheep- and dairy-farming activities and related seasonal industries, experiences considerable fluctuations in employment. Between August and December, 1947, the numbers employed in dairy factories rose from 102 to 220, and the numbers engaged in the freezing industry rose from 286 in October, 1947, to 662 in February, 1948. Despite this, the number of disengaged persons enrolled for employment, which reached its highest point in July, stood at 9 only in that month. Both industries were adequately staffed throughout the season.

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