775 OUT OF WORK

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30472, 20 June 1964, Page 3

775 OUT OF WORK

Fewer Than Last Year

(N.Z. Press Association)

WELLINGTON, June 14.

An increasing level of employment in New Zealand was shown by the* latest figures, said the Minister of Labour (Mr Shand) today. The level of registered unemployed at May 31, 1964, was 775 (620 men and 155 women). This was substantially lower than that for the same date in 1963 when the total was 1053.

Mr Shand said this represented a reduction of 26 per cent in the level of unemployment, which was an indication of the buoyant state of the economy. In addition, the seasonal increase from April to May this year totalled 145, as against 174 the previous year.

Mr Shand said that while the figures might justify a belief that unemployment would again not be a serious problem in 1964, figures for both 1963 and 1964 were so small that it was not safe to make forecasts with absolute confidence that the level would remain below that of last year. Seasonal changes affecting freezing works, for example, coud possibly make a difference.

The list of registered unemployed at the end of May included:—Blenheim, nil: Nelson, 20: Greymouth, 14; Christchurch, 97; Ashburton, nil; Timaru, 11.

Sewage Plant.—A contract has been let to Jeal and Skurr, Ltd., for £10,497 for construction of a sewage treatment plant and reticulation at Lake Coleridge.