Number out of work falls slightly

Press, 10 March 1982, Page 2

Number out of work falls slightly

PA Wellington The number of registered unemployed at the end of February was 137 down bn the previous month. The total number of jobseekers, other than vacation workers, registered with the Labour Department was 49,202 at February 26, said the Acting Minister of Labour (Mr Thomson) yesterday. The numbef of people in fully subsidised jobs under the various public sector jobcreation schemes increased by 699. The number of registered unemployed in the Christchurch employment district has remained relatively stable in recent months, with 6732 registered at February 26, compared with '6323 at the end of January. In February Jast year there were 7598 registered unemployed. The district superintendent of the Labour Department, Mr W. T. Holland, said that the stability was attributed to increased placement of job-seekers in job-creation schemes or in vacant jobs. Almost 400 job-seekers were

placed in public sector/ schemes in February, bring-, ing the total on various; schemes to 6061, compared: with 5992 in January. Nationally there weret 14,396 people working in fully; subsidised jobs, other than} the Student Community Ser-» vice programme, said Mrt Thomson. At the end of February am additional 12,763 people werei in permanent employment ini the private sector in jobsi receiving initial from the three private sector, job-creation programmes,) Mr Thomson said. This was an increase ofl 630 on the number being subsidised at the end o? January. Thirteen employment dis-' tricts had decreases in the number registered as unem-, ployed, while eight had increases. ; The main increases were in Christchurch (409) and! Auckland (104). The main reductions were Invercargill (268), Dunedin (199), Wellington (165)j Palmerston North (148)) Whangarei (146), and Nelson, (133).