Rise in jobless continues

Press, 21 February 1986, Page 3

Rise in jobless continues

By

PATRICIA HERBERT

in Wellington Registered unemployment rose 5 per cent last month to 56,818, or 4.3 per cent of the estimated workforce, according to the Labour Department Its latest monthly survey, released yesterday, shows the continuation of a trend established in October when the numbers began to rise. They have risen steadily since but not to the extent of reversing the

gains made in late 1984early 1985 with the result that the January figure is still about 8 per cent lower than for the same month last year. It was this aspect that the Minister of Employment, Mr Burke, chose to focus on yesterday. He said the rise that had been recorded reflected only half the normal increase between the December and January periods. "Even at a time of economic slowdown, this is a very good result,” he

said. He warned, however, that the ranks of the unemployed were expected to swell further over the year as the economy sank deeper into recession. The number of schoolleavers out of work rose over the month to 4898, an increase of 257. Mr Burke said a problem was a lack of skills rather than a lack of jobs and that he was confident the Government’s new training programmes

would equip people to take, advantage of the opportunities available. Areas to show a significant rise were Auckland, 948; Christchurch, 550; Hamilton, 483; Wellington, 470; and Manukau, 334. Invercargill and Dunedin, however, showed drops of 779 and 333 respectively. Drops were also recorded by Nelson, 50, and Timaru, 130. Blenheim showed an increase of 85 and Greymouth of 60.