Jobless total well up

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34031, 20 December 1975, Page 3

Jobless total well up

f.V.Z Press Association > WELLINGTON. Dec. 19. The number of unemployed in Christchurch rose from 408 on November 28 to 694 on December 12. The national figure went up from 3945 to 5668. according to the Department of Labour. Nelson's unemployment went up from 98 to 123; Blenheim’s from 53 to 79: Greymouths from 16 to 22: Dunedin's and Oamaru's from 250 to 433: Invercargill’s from 474 to 892. Timaru’s fell from 43 to 40. Announcing the figures, the Minister of Labour (Mr Gordon) said - the combined total of registered unemployed and those on special work at mid-December was the highest since mid-1968. COUNTER-MEASURES “Because of the seriousness of this situation, par-1 ticularly the high number of! school-leavers registering ’with my department, the Government is giving urgent consideration to measures to counter unemployment,” Mr Gordon said. Freezing company stoppages at a time when most freezing workers would normally be expected to be in employment, a larger number of tertiary students seeking vacation work than in previous years, and a reluctance by many employers to take on 'staff before Christmas, had all also been important factors in the increase. On December 12. 476 school-leavers. 713 freezing workers, and 273 students were registered unemployed. Vacancies recorded by the Department of Labour decreased by 171 from 1533 on. November 28 to 1362 on December 12. There were 1120 vacancies for males and 242 for females. A total of 2888 persons were being paid unemployment benefits at December 12. Popoular cruise The Cunard Liner Q.E.2; will make another world cruise early in 1977, and already the ship's top 57,000 suites are spoken for. — London.