UNEMPLOYMENT

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 302, 15 September 1921, Page 6

UNEMPLOYMENT

MR. MITCHELL’S FIGURES CALLERS AT REPATRIATION OFFICE In view of comment made in yesterday’s Dominion, Mr. G. Mitchell, M.P., requests publication of the following letters: — "Wellington, \ "September 14, "Mr. Morrison, "Repatriation Department, "AVellington. "Dear air, —The figures supplied to me by you as ’being the number of unemployed on your books were disputed in this morning’s Dominion. This number, 170, was given by you as the actual number registered with you from the 20th of last month to Saturday last, who, so far as you know, are not yet employed. As 'The Dominion -article would make it appear that I misstated the position, I would like you to state if the figures supplied to me were correct or otherwise, and is the number being increased or not, this week?— (Signed) G. Mitchell.” "Repatriation Department, "Wellington. "September 14. "Colonel G. Mitchell, M.P. "AVellington. “Dear sir,—-In reply to your letter of even date, I beg to state that the figures supplied by us a week ago were correct, but we apparently misled you. Although 170 men had registered at , this office for employment, many had only called once or twice, and have not yet called back, so that these have to be marked, 'failed to report, presumed in employment.’ lVhen these named are deducted from the total number of applications received, the number of men actually calling regularly and apparently anxious for work is very much decreased. The following figures will show you the approximate position to date. It will be noticed that since yesterday there have been about 2D fresh applications received, which slightly increased the number of regular callers: — ' On register beginning of month (August 20) 93 Registered since 163 25G Less placed to date, approx. (August 20) 53 On books at present 203 Failed to report for one week or / more (approx.) 100 On books to-day (fegular callers)...i 103 "These figures are approximate only, but after the 20th instant we will be able to give you the exact position to a man.MSigned) C. W. Batten, District Repatriation. Officer.” "Not Getting Less.” Mr. Mitchell adds the following statement :— "Of 50 callers at my office to-day--47 men and 3 women pleading for, work for their husbands—lB had not registered with the Repatriation Department or the Labour Bureau. The callers were mostly married men of a very fine type, and all anxious to know when the relief works are going to be started. AVe have linen able to place nine men. to-day with people who wanted little jobs done, ord I know many more will offer a day or two’s work now. "The number of unemployed are not getting less, as stated in your paper; you do not allow for those not registered. By the numbers sent along by myself and th:- general activity around the Labour Bureau this last few days, I am quite sure the number now registered there exceeds 500. AVill you please verify this by ringing the Department? "The coll is far more urgent than H, or I am sure anyone else, had a knowledge of. Many of these men with growing families are in a very bad way, which can be verified at my office, or the Labour Bureau any morning, and I earnestly appeal to nil for the, sake of the women and children to find the money to provide the breadwinner wtl# work." I wish to thank the many helpers and subscriber 3, especially the returned soldiers (one of whom had T/ri on his list at noon to-day), and especially would I appeal to your popular paper for the groat help it can give us to provide work for the deserving workless.”