UNEMPLOYED.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 454, 12 March 1909, Page 3

UNEMPLOYED.

A DEPARTMENTAL RETURN.POST OFFICE FOUNDATIONS. A return of applications for employment during the week ending February 17 has boon prepared by tlio Secretary for Labour (Mr. E. Trogear) by Ministerial request. The return shows the applicants who have been over five, years in Now Zealand, under fivo years in the Dominion, and the number of assisted immigrants who havo called. The position, Jlr. Trogear states, seems to be most acute at Auckland and Wellington, where 172 and 272 applicants applied respectively. At Christchurch and Duncdin the numbers, 73 and 87, were comparatively small. In the smaller centres there was not a very large number of applicants, but Greymouth, with 52, and Waugauui, with 38, may be specially mentioned. "During the last month," the report states, no less than 827 applicants wore received for employment at the Wellington office. I am atraid that this very large total may bo exceeded this month. I have taken tally of the number calling to-day (Monday, March a), and no less than 71 labourers and 7 carpenters registered. I wrote to the Under Secretary, Public Works Department, on the Ist instant, in reference to employing more men on co-operative works, and the reply to hand to-day is that at present the Department can only give employment to sixteen men on the works at Nelson and Stratford. This authority will not supply the demand of men for moro than one or two days a£ most.- If it is possiblo for the Government to expedite the work of preparing the Post Office foundations it might help towards relieving some of the congestion that exists at present.' Tho return of applicants for the week ending February 17 shows that a total of 774 applied for work. Of these 400 had been under five years in New Zealand, 374 over five years, and 50 were assisted immigrants. Of-the assisted iimmigrants 37 were farm hands and three were listed as unskilledoutside these there were 276 unskilled anpheants. • * WORK FOR FIFTY. About fifty labourers will be employed building the foundations for the new Post Office. The Public Works Department is itself carrying out this portion of the work and a beginning has now been made. It is expected that . the work will take four months. '.A number of men have applied for employment at this work, who are not physically equal to the task. The Labour Department states that only men who are physically capable of the labour, and have had some experience of such work, arc likely to be continuously employed. Preference is being given local men who are married and have families. The full number of fifty lias not yet been engaged. The foundations are being laid to a. depth of twelve feet.