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(d) Footwear and Leather (i) Boot and Shoe Manufacture 1938-39. 1945-46. 1946-47* Number of units engaged .. .. 69 90 Number of persons employed .. .. 3,075 4,660 4,992 Salaries and wages paid .. .. £486,649 £1,258,716 £1,497,000 Value of output .. .. .. £1,355,398 £3,562,309 £4,084,000 * Interim figures. In general tlie supply of raw materials showed steady improvement in tlie past year, although shortages of grindery persisted. Labour continues to be the most acute problem in both the manufacture and repair sections of the industry, despite a slight improvement in male labour in the latter part of the year. Provision for the importation of 275,000 pairs of adult and children's and 358,000 pairs of infants' shoes was made during the year to supplement local production in providing for local requirements. Output from local factories is still increasing and during the current year is expected to be 6 per cent, above the level of the previous year. (ii) Tanning 1938-39. 1945-46. 1946-47.* Number of units engaged .. .. 13 19 Number of persons employed .. .. 459 937 896 Salaries and wages paid .. .. £109,680 £353,180 £359,000 Value of output .. .. .. £491,209 £1,575,495 £1,655,000 * Interim figures. The tanning industry continues to meet the country's requirements of all but the finer types of leathers. The labour problem intensified in certain localities, with the result that some difficulty has been experienced in maintaining supplies of certain types of output, as, for example, curried leathers. Local tanners still enjoy priority in obtaining New-Zealand-grown hides and skins at stabilized prices, and small exportable surpluses available from time to time have been directed principally to Australia and the Pacific Islands. (iii) Sundry Leather and Travel Goods With the exception of the glove and handbag section of the industry wherein production has more than kept pace with demand, the demand for leather sundries and general travel goods has been buoyant. Labour and material supply have been reasonably satisfactory in these sections of the industry. SECTION 6.—BUREAU OF INDUSTRY (a) General Review The Bureau of Industry has continued throughout the year its functions in respect of those industries which operate under the provisions of the Industrial Efficiency Act, 1936. The desire to expand or to bring up to date manufacturing and service facilities to meet post-war demand remains a strong feature of licensed industries, as is shown by the large number of applications made to the Bureau to install new machinery and plant and to open new units. For its part the Bureau is concerned to ensure as far as it is possible to do so that the extension of manufacturing capacity is not carried to a point at which an industry will be unduly vulnerable to a falling off in the level of abnormal demand.

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