UNEMPLOYMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 4030, 9 June 1931, Page 33

UNEMPLOYMENT.

ABANDONED FARMS SETTLING UNEMPLOYED PERSONS. WELLINGTON, June 2. Replying to a deputation from the Wellington Unemployment Committee to day the Minister of Labour (Mr S. G Smith) said the Lands Department at present was carrying out a complete in vestigation into the position of aban doned farms. When this was completed the farms would be thrown open for selection by unemployed persons. He hoped to make an announcement in a day or two in regard to the whole position. DOMINION REGISTRATIONS INCREASE FOR THE WEEK. WELLINGTON, June 5. According to a statement made by the Minister of Labour (Mr S. G. Smith) the registration of unemployed in New Zealand for the week ended June 1 totalled 42,523 compared with 40,507 during the previous seven days. The apparent increase was 2016. The returns s-how that although new and renewed applications for work totalled 3973 for the week under review 30,425 men qualified and were placed in work under the unemployment Board’s No. 5 scheme, while 4061 were engaged under the board’s No. 4a scheme and 591 under scheme No. 4b Actually, therefore, the number of men registered as unemployed for the week and for whom no work was found was only 7446. Under the board’s scheme of rationing, which had to be resorted to owing to the enormous demand on its limited finances, it is probable that of these 7446 a large percentage was not eligible for employment during the week. Particulars of the registration in the main centres were as follows: — With Without dependents, dependents. Auckland .. 2587 3365 Wellington .. 1510 2434 Christchurch 2972 1888 Dunedin .. 1411 1134 Invercargill 729 395 The total registrations for the main centres are as follows, the figures for the previous week being given in parentheses: Auckland 5952 (5546), Wellington 3944 (3622). Christchurch 4860 (4676), Dunedin 2545 (2343), Invercargill 1044 (950). DEPUTATION TO MINISTER On Tuesday afternoon a deputation consisting of Messrs A. Clydesdale, W. Pyne, and P. H. Petrie, representing the unemployed relief workers, waited on the Minister of Agriculture (Mr A. J. Murdoch) to place before him the hard ship with which many of the relief workers in the city were faced. The speakers made similar' representations to those placed by it before the Mayor (Mr R. S. Black) in the. morning, and after ; they had fully detailed the position, the Minister pointed out that the difficulty at the present'time in the operation of the Unemployment Act was the lack of finance. Mr Petrie asked what was the position when, after the Prime Minister had practically advised the unemployed to go to the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board for relief, the board had refused them that relief. ’ The Minister promised to go into the matter with the Minister .of Health on his return to Wellington, with a view, to ascertaining if any further assistance could be ordered.