Unemployment down again

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33062, 1 November 1972, Page 1

Unemployment down again

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, October 31.

The national total of registered unemployed had dropped a further 874, the Minister of Labour (Mr Thomson) said today. The greatest drop is in Christchurch, where there are 156 fewer unemployed.

There were 5149 unemployed registered with the Department of Labour on October 27, compared with 6023 on October 13, said the Minister.

Unemployment benefit was being paid to 3882, a decrease of 448 on the figures returned at October 13. Male enrolments decreased by 666 and female enrolments by 208 during the period under review, and there was also a drop—from 2895 to 2426—in the number of male workers engaged in the work provided with Government departments. In addition, a total of 130 men were engaged in subsidised employment with local authorities on October 27, compared with 157 on October 13.

Vacancies recorded at the Department of Labour increased by 968 from 2672 on October 13 to 3640 on October 27. The total vacancies recorded for males were 2486, 785 being for skilled men. Local unemployment figures on October 27 (figures for October 13 in brackets) were:

Northland 259 (261), Auckland 736 (826), Hamilton 277 (287), Tauranga 219 (252), Rotorua 326 (395), Gisborne 266 (279), Napier 179 (204), Hastings 190 (207), New Plymouth 56 (64), Wanganui 213 (264), Palmerston North 367 (425), Masterton 8 (10), Lower Hutt 30 (47), Wellington 252 (281), Blenheim 34 (48), Nelson 124 (143), Greymouth 73 (79), Christchurch 364 (520), Timaru 112 (182), DunedinOamaru 396 (442), Invercargill 668 (807).