H—ll

Building and Construction Industry. —After reaching a peak of 441 in June, 1947, notified male -vacancies fell to 266 in November, but by 31st March, 1948, had risen again to 348. At 30th June, 1946, there were 436 vacancies and at 31st March, 1947, 384. ,' Printing, Bookbinding, &c, Industries. —Notified vacancies at 31st March, 1948, were male 191, female 202, as compared with 157 and 231 respectively at 31st March, 1947. Clothing-manufacture. —At 31st March, 1947, vacancies for women workers in this industry were 932. By 31st March, 1948, the number had risen to 1,104. Hospitals. —Female vacancies reached a peak of 283 in June, 1947 (46 mental-hospital nurses and 63 general nurses), but fell to 228 at 31st March, 1948, including 47 for mental hospitals and 50 nurses and 131 other hospital workers. Wholesale and Retail Trades. —Female notified vacancies rose over the year from 199 to 268 and male vacancies from 235 at 31st March, 1947, to 282 at 31st March, 1948. Blenheim District This district is essentially a primary producing area. Nevertheless, nearly 2,700 males, and about 1,000 females are employed in secondary and tertiary industries. Manufacturing industries employ 590 males and 230 females ; building and construction, 630 males; service industries, 580 males and 700 females. Seasonal fluctuations in employment are fairly marked, since the various phases of farming operations, work on orchards and in packing-sheds, freezing-works, grain and wool stores, dairy factories, a linen-flax factory, and whaling result in varying demands' being received from month to month each year. The employment position was kept well in hand and the number of disengaged male workers enrolled with the Department rose no higher than 13 at 30th June, 1947. Male notified vacancies showed a steady rise from 23 at 31st March, 1947, to 115 at 31st March, 1948, of which 30 were required for farming of various kinds. Little variation occurred in female vacancies, which fell from 78 at 31st March, 1947, to 68 at 31st March, 1948. Of these, 38 (including 34 nurses) were required by hospitals. Nelson District This district depends largely on seasonal labour to harvest fruit, haps, raspberries, and tobacco and to perform the processing and canning dependent thereon.' Over 2,000 workers have been recruited through the Department's district office this season, adequately meeting the demand. During the period, the temporary dam at the Cobb Kiver hydro project was successfully completed, the Department aiding materially in the procurement of staff for this. No person has been thrown out of employment through shortages of materials, which have, in the main, been of a temporary nature ; and there are no registered unemployed, ample opportunities existing for the absorption of both skilled and unskilled labour. Male vacancies rose from 137 at 31st March, 1947, to 218 at 31st March, 1948. Of these, 76 were required for building and construction, 23 for wholesale and retail trades, and 19 for bush sawmilling. Female vacancies at 31st March, 1948, were 152, as compared with 109 at 31st March, 1947, including vacancies for 15 clothing workers, 31 hotel and catering, and 52 hospital workers (43 for mental hospitals). Westport District Coal-mining, employing almost 900 men, is a major industry in this district. Road and rail transport, bush sawmilling, building, engineering (principally Railways Workshops), and servicing industries each employ smaller numbers of workers. The district offers opportunities for light secondary industries offering male employment of less arduous types, for which labour would be readily available. For female workers retail shops, hospitals, offices, hotels and restaurants, and a hosiery-factory provide most of the employment offering.

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