PLACEMENT PLAN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 236, 5 October 1936, Page 3

PLACEMENT PLAN.

NEW CITY OFFICES. OPENING BY HON. F. E. LARK. SUCCESS OF STATE SERVICE. The official opening of the new Auckland office of the State Placement Service was performed by the Hon. F. E. Lark, M.L.C., acting as deputy for the Mayor, Mr. Ernest Davis, in the Hall of Commerce, High Street, this morning. There was a representative gathering of Mayors and members of local bodies and prominent citizens. M r - W. T. Anderton, M.P. for Eden, was present. Mr. Lark read a message from Mr. Davis, regretting inability to attend and conveying his best wishes for the increasing success of the placement service. Mr. Davis in his message described the service as the highest spot on the industrial horizon. The Dominion placements stood at 8100, comprising 42;">1 permanent cases, 2113 temporary and 1731 casual. The Auckland figures since May were: Permanent 3-13, temporary 2SO, casual 190, making a total of <319.

"From experience I have learned that it is not within the capacity of an individual, or a corporation acting individually, to provide for the absorption of the surplus labour offering," the Mayor's message stated. "The placement office, on the other hand, has succeeded to a marked extent, largely because its energies are organised on a co-ordinated basis, and devoted exclusively to the purpose of bringing prospective employers into touch with men out of work. In my official capacity I have found the office' a valuable aid. and I can pay no better tribute to it and its place in our economic life than to appeal personally to prospective employers and unemployed alike to accord to the office their wholehearted support.

"In my judgment, the office is the most powerful influence that has yet been exercised in the direction of assisting men back to their normal occupations," the message added. "It has proved a veritable sheet anchor in the troubled waters of unemployment. I feel I am voicing the sentiments of'citizens as a whole when I offer congratulations to the Government on the initiation of the scheme, and wish it a continuation of that full measure of success which it so richly deserves. To Mr. Grandison, the employment officer, I would say: 'Carry on the good workin Auckland. You'have the community behind you in your endeavours.'" Responsibility of the People. Mr. Lark appealed for fuller consideration by all of the problems of unemployment. It was not the responsibility' of the Government, but the responsibility of the people. Labour products should be marketed as well as primary produce. Tie referred to the assistance given by Mr. A. J. Ridler, the in-uig.i-rator of the placements scheme, Mr. J. Lewis, one of the organisers, and Mr. W. Slaughter, the former officer in charge of the Labour Department in Auckland. They had a capable district employment officer in Mr. A. T. Grandison. Tlifc scope of the scheme and the organisation of the office was explained by Mr. Grandison. The new offices included a waiting room for workers, accommodation for the staff and records and an interviewing room where employers could meet prospective employees. Mr. Grandison read a number of appreciative letters from both employers and employees who had benefited by the scheme.

An opportunity was afforded the gathering of seeing the new offices, where men seekinn; positions could be comfortably seated at desks instead of having to' stand by counters, and in other ways made to feel more at home, as well as studying the organisation.