STATE PLACEMENT SERVICE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 129, 17 June 1937, Page 12

STATE PLACEMENT SERVICE

What Has Been Accomplished By Officers 32»650 Johs Found Substantial work towards the solution of the unemployment problem along more permanent lines than the distribution of sustenance money and relief work is shown by the records of the State Placement Service for its first years of existence. The service now has 25 of its own offices and a staff of 120, specialising in the task of flnding the right men for jobs and discovering all possible opportunities in that direetion. Altogether 32,650 positions wero found in 10 months by the service, being the figure to the end of Marcli. This represents the placing of 753 men in work every week of that period. State or State-subsidised positions, numbering 6292, are excluded from this total. Out of the thousands of jobs offered by the service how many have been refused? An assurance that only a hundred men declined proffered employment is given by headquarters. Uneutployables. Concerning the problem of "unemployables," the report issued states that the completely hopeless cases are not lilcely to lceep in toueh with the service. However, there are many partially disabled men who desire suitable positions and take advantage of the service offered by the placement officers. Employers also are co-opefat-ing in their endeavours to iind special work for this class. Enrolments at the end of 12 months' working totalled 26,218, and the classification of the men, made after personal examination by an officer, is as follows: — Inaustrially iit, 19,563; fit for light work, 5567; unemployable, 2188. Hopes are held by the officers of the service that the number in the last class may be reduced by the efforts to find special avenues of employment for such men. This category is genel'ally made up of those considered unacceptable tp employers because of advaneed age or impaired health and ■ faeulties. That of tbe partially disabled men on its books only seven per cent. is unfit f 't industry is a recent conclusion of the service. Different classefc of jobs to the number of 385 are classified in the detailed ■ list of placements for the first 10 months. yuite a large proportion of these positions are permanetly filled, although many of the large figures relate to casual employment. Details of Occupations. Oecupations filled include: — Bakers, 133; barmen, 120; bootmakers 414; bushman, 331; carpenters (general), 1877; carpenters (bush camp), 81; elerks, 499; motor drivers (road), 784; freezing works employees, 530; gardeners (general), 714; gardeners (jobbing), " 233; general labourers, 8699, of which 2621 went to permanent positions; farm labourers, 4677, of which 3282 obtained permanent positions; general .mechanics, 221; painters (brush hands), 483; decorators, 386; paperhangers, 222; plumbers, 237; salesmen, 343; sawmill hands, 271; scrub-cutters, 215; shearers, 188; shepherds, 95; shopassistnats, 424; slaughtermen, 228; storemen, 656; waterside workers, 229; timber yardmen, 112. A marked increase in personal energy in job-seeking once the applicant had been lifted out of the relief "category by even casual work is emphasised by the report of the service. "Employers are increasing their praetical interest in the Placement Service," continues the report, "because of a realisation that so much care is taken in selecting the most suitable men for particular jobs, and the fact that a call for men is not going to result in a plea to give a position to someone with a ' hard-luck ' story. "