EMPLOYMENT SURVEY

Press, Volume C, Issue 29520, 23 May 1961, Page 21

EMPLOYMENT SURVEY

1326 Vacancies In North Canterbury

The employment survey taken by the Canterbury Retailers’ Association, the Employers’ Association, and the Chamber of Commerce show that over-employment was severe in North Canterbury and made mockery of the recent statement by the president of the Federation of Labour (Mr F P. Walsh) that little more than 1000 selected immigrant workers would tip the employment balance in New Zealand, said the president of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce (Mr R. H. Clark) in the chamber’s newsletter. The survey, which covered the area from the Rakaia to Hurunui rivers, did not include farm employment and also excluded manufacturers, who had conducted a similar survey independently, said Mr Clark.

In the 296 replies received the positive vacancies scheduled were for 792 males and 337 females. There were also 187 hospital board vacancies for which sex was not designated. That meant a total of 1326 vacancies exclusive of manufacturing and primary industry. “Except for direct filling of the vacuum in certain specialised fields, increased immigration would not solve the problem at all. The case for sustained increase in immigration lies in other directions’* said Mr Clark.