REHABILITATION OF WORKLESS

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22467, 30 July 1938, Page 16

REHABILITATION OF WORKLESS

LABOUR DEPARTMENT SURVEY CENSUS TO INDICATE TRENDS IN INDUSTRY [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON. July 29. An analysis undertaken by the Labour Department to ascertain the potential employability of relief recipients is discussed in the annual report of the Employment Division of the department, which was presented to Parliament to-day by the Minister for ! Labour, the Hon. H. T. Armstrong. The report states that interviews had ( taken place between selected departmental officers and each person assisted from the Employment Promotion Fund whom it was deemed necessary to examine for the purpose of determining the prospects of rehabilitation into the i industrial spheres from which each such person had been displaced or excluded, and for which he was now best suited. Beginning in a small way, a few officers were chosen to conduct interviews along the lines laid down by skilled psychologists. It was not practicable to engage a large staff on such work, for the reason that the lines along which the interviews were to be conducted and conclusions to be drawn must necessarily be founded on a common basis, and too many interviewing officers militated against _ the desired uniformity. At present it was estimated that the personal analysis would be finished by the end of August. , Classification Proposed When all reports had been assembled the task of examining them would be undertaken. Unemployed would be broadly classified into employable and unemployable groups, and the degree of employability of the first group would be examined and measures indicated that might be necessary to restore or create the maximum utility through the medium of training or treatment. The final classification of unemployed would be as follows, unless experience derived from the course of analysis justified a different subdivision: (1) Those 65 years of age and over. (2) Those qualified both by reason of personal conditions and adequate industrial experience for full-time employment. (3) Those personally qualified by reason of physique and mentality, but lacking adequate industrial experience (4) Those qualified by industrial experience, but disqualified by some personal condition, either mental or physical. (5) Those disqualified on both grounds, industrially and personally. Comprehensive Census Independently of the personal analysis, states the report, the department made a census in March of persons on the register at that date. The census was designed to show the conjugal status, age, industrial classification, and employment and unemployment history of each person. To be of full value, such a census should be taken at least half-yearly, so that the trend of employment in industry may be accurately determined. “The present year has seen perhaps the most marked reduction in the registered number since before the depression,” states another section of the report. “If relative figures were available it would possibly be found that the number of genuinely unemployed to-day is less than at any period for many years. Although there is still a good number of men receiving sustenance relief out of the fund, by far the majority are men who are totally unfit for employment on account of their disability. These persons should not be regarded as unemployed, but until such time as the social security legislation is passed and necessary administrative machinery established, assistance is being granted to them from the Employment , Promotion Fund.”