The Press TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 1936 Unemployment Figures

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21858, 11 August 1936, Page 10

The Press TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 1936 Unemployment Figures

The unemployment figures in the latest ‘ Ab- “ stract of Statistics ” are disturbing. Between May 9 and June 6 of this‘year the total of registered unemployed rose from 35,270 to 39,038; and, despite a general improvement in economic conditions, this latest total represents an improvement of only 0.7 per cent, over the corresponding total for last year. The figures for the four cities are interesting: Auckland has 8791 registered unemployed compared with 8414 a year ago; Wellington shows a decrease of nearly 1000; Christchurch shows no decrease; and in Dunedin there has been an increase of about 300, The Government Statistician has several comments to offer on the situation. It “is probable,” he says, “that the total number “of registered unemployed now covers a “ greater proportion of the total number of “ adult males out of work than was formerly “the case.” The evidence in support of this statement is not given and probably does not exist. The Government Statistician also says that there is “ ample evidence of increased em- “ ployment among v/omen and juveniles, who “ do not come within the ambit of the unemployment statistics.” This is a most significant pronouncement, for it means tha. already the Government’s wages and hours legislation has had the effect of driving adult males out of private employment and supplanting them bv women and boys. Some indication of the extent to which the employment of adult males in private industry has declined in the last few months is given by the fact that, despite the absence of any improvement in the general unemployment situation since last year, the number of men employed on public works is 15,551 compared with 11,841 a year ago. It should be noted that New Zealand is one of the few countries in the world, and the only country in the Empire, where the unemployment situation is not improving appreciably. In Australia there are now about 60,000 unemployed, compared with 80,000 a year ago; for Great Britain the corresponding figures are 1,705,000 and 2,044,000; and for the Irish Free State they are 109,000 and 142,000. One further point should be noticed. The latest “ Abstract “of Statistics ” does not contain the usual monthly statement of occupations of registered unemployed, because, according to the Government Statistician, the necessary figures are no longer supplied by the Labour Department. It is incumbent on the Minister to give reasons for the change. Without the occupational figures, other statistics of unemployment mean very