Dole queues continue to get shorter

Press, 16 May 1984, Page 2

Dole queues continue to get shorter

By

MICHAEL HANNAH

in Wellington Unemployment has fallen for the third consecutive month, and the number of people on special work schemes is virtually static.

At the end of April, 65,582 people were registered as unemployed, a drop of 2670 since March.

However, the number of people employed on special work schemes remained almost static, with a drop of 87 in April. A total of 38,449 people were employed on special schemes: 17,515 on private sector schemes (up 432), and 20,934 on public schemes (down 519). A total of 104,031 people were registered unemployed or on special work schemes at the end of April. Of this number, 37 per cent were on special schemes,, compared with 36.1 per cent in March, and 34.6 per cent in February. A year ago, the proportion was 31.2 per cent. While proportionally more people out of work are finding their way into special work schemes,

fewer are joining the dole queues. The proportion of people who are registered as unemployed has fallen from 68.8 per cent in April, 1983, to 65.4 per cent in Februaiy this year, to 63.9 per cent in March, and 63 per cent in April. The number of school leavers registered as unemployed also fell, by 763 to 6437, and their contribution to the ranks of unemployed has also fallen steadily in the last three months from 12 per cent in February to 9.8 per cent in April. A total of 851 new entrants were taken on the Young Persons Training Programme, bringing the total on the scheme to 2104. Meanwhile, 531 new entrants were taken on the School-leavers Training and Employment Preparation Scheme, bringing the total there to 1766.

The Christchurch employment district recorded the third biggest drop in unemployment: down 280 to 8580, giving it an unemployment

rate of 5.7 per cent, the seventh highest out of 23 districts. The national average unemployment rate was 4.9 per cent. Of the total national registered unemployed, 24 per cent had been enrolled for less than a month; 36 per cent for between one and three months; 20 per cent for between three and six months; and 20 per cent for more than six months.

Some South Island figures were as follows:

Christchurch: 8580 registered unemployed (down 280), or 5.7 per cent of the workforce; 2336 on private work schemes; 2089 on public schemes.

Blenheim: 473 registered unemployed (up four), or 3.4 per cent of the workforce; 194 on private work schemes; 244 on public schemes.

Nelson: 895 registered unemployed (up 86), or 3.4 per cent of the workforce; 501 on private work schemes; 448 on public schemes. Greymouth: 718 registered unemployed (up 30), or 5.4

per cent of the workforce; 165 on private work schemes; 202 on public schemes.

Timaru: 793 registered unemployed (down 68), or 3.5 per cent of the workforce; 459 on private work schemes; 310 on public schemes.

In the Christchurch district there were 8580 registered unemployed, 739 down on last year’s total, and 280 down on the figure for March. Of these 5223 were men and 3357 were women. School leavers unemployed numbered 613, a drop of 54 on the total at the end of March, and 14 down on April’s total last year. Those employed on subsidised job creation programmes in Christchurch numbered 4425, excluding holiday workers. This compares with 4118 at the end of April last year, and 4529 at the end of March. Those employed on programmes in the public sector totalled 2089 while those employed in the private sector numbered 2336.