EMPLOYMENT FIGURES

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29192, 30 April 1960, Page 14

EMPLOYMENT FIGURES

Many Vacancies For Labour

The employment situation in Christchurch is much more buoyant than it was in the same period last year, the District Superintendent of Labour (Mr C. P. Collins) said yesterday. At present on the unemployment register are 47 persons—42 males and five females. Of these 20 males and three females were receiving unemployment benefits. Mr Collins said. In the same period last year there were 89 persons registered as unemployed. 70 of them males.

There are 121 vacancies for skilled workers, more than 100 vacancies for unskilled workers and 33 vacancies for farm workers. “We just haven’t got the labourite suit the vacancies,” Mr Collins said. This time last year there was not one vacancy for a farm worker, he added. With some labour expected to become available from freezing works at the end of May the demand for skilled workers might ease, particularly in the building and contracting trades, he said. There was an understandable reluctance by some employers to hire labour immediately before the Easter and Anzac Day holi'days because of the liability to give holiday pay, Mr Collins said. l