H.—35.

The total value of building permits issued in December, 1930 (£257,150), was considerably less than half the corresponding figures for December, 1929 (£580,116). The January, February, and March, 1931, figures are also much lower than the totals for the corresponding months of 1930. The abnormality of economic conditions when the Board commenced operations, in November, 1930, is illustrated by the survey given in the preceding pages of this report. The magnitude of the task confronting the Board is shown in the next section of the report, in which an analysis of registrations at the employment bureaux of the Labour Department is made. Extent of Unemployment in New Zealand. Census Data. Direct statistical evidence as to the extent of unemployment in New Zealand is available from the census (since 1896) and from the records of the Labour Department (since 1892). In addition, statistics of unemployment among trade-unionists, and of monthly employment in factories and works, have been collected in recent years by the Census and Statistics Office —the former since 1925 and the latter since 1926. The great disadvantage of the Census inquiry as an indicator of the trend of unemployment is that it provides data at quinquennial intervals only, and consequently does not throw light on the rapid fluctuations in unemployment which are characteristic of periods of economic stress. Nevertheless, the. census provides reliable data as to the actual numbers unemployed on the census dates, and, while information has been available from other sources as to the movements in unemployment from time to time, it has hitherto been extremely difficult to gauge the actual total of unemployed wage-earners in the country at any particular time from any other source. The following table showing the numbers and the proportion to total wage-earners of the unemployed at successive censuses is of interest in showing the state of employment at intervals over a long period of years :—

It will be observed from these figures that the unemployment position at the 1896 census date, when there were 100 males unemployed for every 1,000 male wage-earners, was considerably more serious than at any other of the census dates on which this data was collected. The proportion of males unemployed on the 1926 census date (34 per 1,000 male wage-earners) was considerably less than that recorded at the 1921 census, but higher than the figure shown by the 1911 and 1916 censuses. A more comprehensive survey of unemployment than had previously been attempted was made at the 1926 census, data being obtained as to the number of working-days lost during the twelve months immediately preceding the census through sickness, accident, or injury, and through lack of employment not due to strikes or lockouts. The average number of working-days lost through lack of employment among males was shown to be 18-8 days during the year prior to the census date (20th April, 1926). Registrations at Labour Bureaux. The annual reports of the Labour Department (parliamentary paper H.-ll) contain valuable information as to the registrations and placements through the employment bureaux of that Department. Details as to the number of unplaced applicants on registers of the bureaux at the end of each week have been obtained for each week since the beginning of April, 1921. The annual average of these weekly totals shown below gives an indication of the growth of the unemployment problem since that year. Weekly Average Weekly Average Year. of | Year. of Unplaced Applications. Unplaced Applications. 1921 (nine months) .. 1,097 1926 .. .. ..1,196 1922 .. .. .. 1,237 1927 .. .. .. 1,982 1923 .. .. .. 599 1928 .. .. .. 2,504 1924 .. .. .. 437 1929 .. .. .. 3,023 1925 .. .. .. 426 1930 .. .. ~ 5,055 While the number of unfilled applications at the bureaux is an indication of the state of the labour-market, it is unsafe to draw conclusions as to the extent of the movement in unemployment from these statistics unless certain reservations are borne in mind. In the first place, the figures will tend to minimize the extent of unemployment in times of economic prosperity, for in good times the unemployed worker will usually manage to find employment without the assistance of the employment bureaux of the Labour Department. On the other hand, in periods of economic depression, when the chances of obtaining employment are considerably lessened, workers will avail themselves of the services of the employment bureaux to a far greater extent. Consequently the movement in the total of unfilled applications tends to exaggerate fluctuations in unemployment. Apart from this consideration, the Department has during recent years considerably widened the scope of the activities of its employment bureaux. Registrations prior to February, 1928, could only be made at the bureaux ; but since that month facilities have been provided whereby registrations are accepted at any post-office. A further factor which, in 1929 and 1930, undoubtedly caused a larger proportion of unemployed to register with the Labour Department is the recently adopted policy of engaging all men for public works and local bodies' relief works through the bureaux, where such a course is practicable,

34

C enslls Number of Males Proportion per Thousand Unemployed. Male Wage-earners. 12 April, 1896 .. .. 14,759 100 31 March, 1901 .. .. 8,467 48 12 April, 1906 .. .. 8,189 39 2 April, 1911 .. .. 7,152 30 15 October, 1916 .. .. 5,920 26 17 April, 1921 .. .. 11,061 39 20 April, 1926 .. .. 10,694 34