23

H.-118

Special Circumstances militating against Employment.—lnsobriety was a contributing factor to unemployment in 29 cases ; while in 79 cases immobility due to illness of a dependant was a circumstance rendering the search for work more difficult. " Lack of industry " (16 cases), " Disgruntled nature "(9 cases), " Unsteady" (40), " Roving disposition " (12), and " General inefficiency " (5 cases) also appeared in the classification ; while the state of general health was a factor in 46, physical disability in 26, and age in 38 cases. Applicants under 25 Years of Age. —Some 62 of the 453 men interviewed were under 25 years of age. Inquiry as to the schooling of these men shows that 57 had a primary-school education only, while 2 spent, in addition, one year at a secondary school, and 3 had technical-school training. It is noteworthy that only II of these 62 men are at present following the same occupation as they did immediately after leaving school. Of 9 who started as factory hands 7 have drifted into general labour, while 7 of the 10 former message-boys are now labourers. General Notes. (1) The predominance of unskilled labourers and semiskilled workers is marked. Classifying the occupations roughly into trades brings out the following results : Building trades, 24 ; engineering and metal trades, 25 ; other skilled trades, 21 ; and other occupations, 383. Included under the heading " Building trades " are 12 carpenters and 5 painters. It is possible that some of these men are not skilled tradesmen, but " near-carpenters " and " brush hands," so that the proportion of skilled men is very small. (2) Although only 3 men have done no work at all during the twelve months, the average duration of unemployment is very high, the actual average for the 453 men interviewed being 31-1 weeks. (3) A very large proportion of the men interviewed are included in the older-age groups, 199 men being 45 years of age or over, as compared with 192 between 25 and 44 years of age. This is a very high proportion when it is considered that the great bulk of the working population are included in the 25-44 age-group. The severity of unemployment increases materially with age, the average number of weeks unemployed according to age-groups being—Under 25, 29-2 weeks ; 25-44 years, 29-3 weeks ; 45-64, 32-3 weeks ; and 65 and over, 37-5 weeks. (4) A study of the " efficiency " classification in conjunction with the special " circumstances " makes it apparent that the great majority of these men are not average types. In the first place, there are 67 classified as " Indifferent," 29 as " Poor," and 7 as " Unemployable " as regards efficiency— a total of 103 whose lack of efficiency must be a serious bar to their prospects of employment. The 141 men whose efficiency is classified as " Fair " would probably not be handicapped by lack of efficiency in good times, but in times of a surplus of labour their prospects of obtaining employment would be lessened. Of the 209 men whose efficiency is classified as " Superior "or " Good," some special circumstance or circumstances militates against employment in 94 cases, leaving a residuum of 115 men whose efficiency is well established and concerning whom no special circumstances affecting their prospects of employment have been recorded. As stated, not a great proportion of the cases investigated were unemployable, the majority being deserving of consideration and largely dependent on seasonal work. We consider much good and useful work could be done by the Board in dealing with these cases on the lines indicated in the first part of this report; we are convinced that many deserving cases could be rescued from the feeling that they were down and out permanently. (VI) Cost of Relief Work in New Zealand. The information following under this heading was obtained by addressing a questionnaire to the Public Works Department, the State Forest Service, Lands and Survey Department, and eighteen local 'bodies, which were asked to supply the Unemployment Committee with particulars showing'— (1) Total cost of relief works ; (2) total amount of wages paid ; (3) cost of overhead and other charges ; (4) number of workers employed in each month on relief works ; (5) nature of relief work provided. The information supplied was fairly complete, but the actual number of men employed in each month was not stated by the Mount Fden, Hamilton, Lower Hutt, and Invercargill Borough Councils and the Nelson City Council. Reference to the summary attached will show, however, that Mount Eden, Hamilton, and Invercargill Borough Councils were able to supply figures showing the average number employed per month in each of the three years under review. In the case of Nelson City the relief work provided was carried out by co-operative gangs, and the amount allocated for wages was paid directly to the foreman of each group, who himself paid the men engaged. The amounts expended on relief works in the three years for which returns were supplied were as follows :—

j 1026-27. 3927-28. [ 1928-29. - & s. d. £ s. d. £ a. d. Public Works Department .. .. 130,000 0 0 379,565 0 0 680,393 0 0 State Forest Service .. .. 14,240 0 0 27,550 0 0 50,250 0 0 Lands and Survey Department .. .. .. 3,500 0 0 Auckland City Council .. .. 61,299 5 8 63,099 17 6 28,523 14 7 Wellington City Council .. .. 11,937 18 4 76,300 19 4 1 48,923 14 3 Christchurch City Council .. .. 6,704 6 6 39,801 10 11 25,303 18 1 Dunedin City Council .. .. 3,175 13 11 9,750 19 10 : 8,492 1 2 Fourteen other local bodies .. .. 28,976 4 10 77,232 2 7 70,019 17 8 Totals .. .. £256,333 9 3 673,300 10 2 915,406 5 9