Employment in this industry, which uses mainly domestic raw materials, is divided thus: wool scouring, 450 persons; woollen milling, 3,680; hosiery and other knitting, 4,200; other spinning and weaving, 1,840; processing of phormium and linen flax, 190; and manufacture of other textile goods, 720.

Wool Scouring: This industry produces, mainly for export, 55 million pounds of scoured wool, 94 per cent of which is scoured on commission. Only 7 per cent of the £14.2 million output is value added in manufacture.

Woollen Mills: These mills are not highly specialised and generally carry out all the processes (including scouring) of converting domestic raw wool into finished products (woollen and worsted yarns and cloths). Imports of cloths and yarns supplement the limited range produced by the mills. The 10 mills in Canterbury and Otago, employing 2,700 persons, produce the greater part of the £7.7 million output. Nearly half the workers in the total of 21 mills are women.

Knitting Mills: These mills are also not highly specialised, except for women's hosiery. Goods to the value of £11.4 million are produced by the 81 units and include women's hosiery, other socks and stockings, and knitted outerwear, underwear, and fabrics. Some units spin their own yarn; others, particularly the small units, have in the past used imported yarn. Over 60 per cent of the output comes from North Island mills. Two-thirds of the staff are women.

Other Spinning and Weaving Mills: The output of £7.2 million from the 17 factories includes carpets, rugs, mattings, rope, and woolpacks. Half the output comes from the South Island.