SMALLER NUMBER UNEMPLOYED

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22305, 20 January 1938, Page 12

SMALLER NUMBER UNEMPLOYED

♦ DETAILS ISSUED BY HON. H. T. ARMSTRONG iFrom Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, January 19. Details of unemployment given in a return issued to-day by the Minister for Employment (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong) show not only a substantial reduction in numbers between November and December, but a big decrease in the total registration when compared with the position a year ago. The latest unemployment return for December 18, 1937, including those on the register who are for health or other reasons unfit for employment, discloses a reduction of 15,919 as against the corresponding figure for December 19, 1936. The reduction compared with the figures for November last is 2909. Details are set out below: December 19, 1937, registered but not on relief, on sustenance, and awaiting placement, 4294. On scheme No. 5 relief, 3336.

Total, 8367. On sustenance, totally unfit for employment for health or other reasons, but being afforded relief from the employment promotion fund, 8000. For the four-weekly period under review expenditure from the fund under the heading of promotion of employment as distinct from relief expenditure is estimated at £207,000.