WORK FOUND FOR 25,000

Chronicle (Levin), 2 May 1947, Page 7

WORK FOUND FOR 25,000

Press Association

EMPLOYMENT SERVICE YEAR UNDER REVIEW

Bv Telearavh—

WELLINGTON, May 1. "More than 25,000 men and woiuen have been ' placed in work by the Naticnal Emp.'pvment Service during the past 12 months," said the Minister of L'mployment, Hon. A. McLagan, in a press statement today. Returned servicemen represented a large proportion, numbering ,8000. The departnient piaced 23QU boys and 1133 giris over a placed 2300 boys and 1133 girls over the years of age. "One of the most important aspects of the departnient 's work has been iindiug suitable jobs for sernieinployable workers. Sueh people would usually reinain dependent ou their families or on social security. Britain has f ound it necessary to introduce legislation compelling employers to engage a certain proportion of semi-fit workers. In NeW Zealand the National Employment SerVice has made special efforts to find jobs for these mhrginal workers and during the past year 950 have been placed in employment. ■ This includes many disabled ex-servicemen. "While the shortage of labour eontinues at much the same level, ' ' JVlr. McLagan continued, "it should he remcmbered that the shortage is con fined iri the main to a few localities. In some of the other districts, on the contrary, • th'ere have been occasions during' the past mbnth or so when, but for the hplp of the employment service, 'locai pockets of between season unemployment- would iiave developed between the middle of. January and middle of March. . Some.. 1040 . men . were put ofl from freezing works • in the North Island where seasonal activities show the iirst signs Pf declining. All these men had to find alternative employment for the winter months as will a further 10,000 men to b'e released from seasonal activities throughout the Dominion, (apart fropi farming, orchard work, etc.), during the next two or thrce months. The d'eclihe in seasonal activ ity falls hard on districts which have little to offer in the way of alternativi employment during the winter months Gisborne is a case in point. In thal distriet 100 men were recently put oi! from freezing works in one week alone The distriet employment" officer was anable to locate employment for ali these men in the Gisborne distriet al though contact officers found a number oi unnotified jobs in the distriet. Tlu rest of .the men were given work in thc main industrial' centres. As a result ot these activities, the number of men , registered as unemploved in the distric at the end of . January, February o. March did not'rise above two. "The industrial workers' camps operating in Auckland, Lower Hutt an i Wellington, are serving a two-folu purpose. Tliey provide accommodation for workers from districts where op porturiities for ehiployment are nol plentiful and at the same time these workers help to relieve the shortage oi labour in those areas where the short age is most acute. The number ot men in residence .af. these. camps. in crease over the. winter months, tlv total number having risen already fron 978 at the end of January to 1137 at the end of March. "The geneial outlook over tht winter months is for all seasonal workers to be absorbed in other eni ployment in their own districts or ixi cities or on some of the public works sclicmes (ineluding local body works) that wefe deferred during the war. Ii is probable, too, " Mf. McLagan con cluded, "that the shortage of male labour. will rpcedfe a little ovef the same pefiod. "