DROP OF 11,000

Grey River Argus, 23 October 1936, Page 3

DROP OF 11,000

In One Year N.Z. UNEMPLOYED A number of factors which have contributed to the all-round improvement in business and the reduction of unemployment figures, were mentioned by the Minister of Labour, the Hon H. T. Armstrong, when discussing with “The Standard” I he record of the Labour Government. The release, last week, of the unemployment statistics inspired “The Standard” to ask the Minister for a survey of the position, and, as a- result, interestingfacts were disclosed by the Minister, proving that not only has unemployment been reduced, but the position of those who are still unemployed has also been greatly ameliorated'. The 40-hour week, the Placement Scheme, the Government’s Pensions legislation, increased wages and purchasing power, and the. overhaul of unemploymehit legislation have all contributed their share to the return of prosperity. The shorter working week in the various brandies of civil service, and in the majority of industries, has boon the main cause of the reduction of unemployment figures by nearly 11,000 in one year, according to the Minister. The shorter week brought about an increase of business in the country, and the figures now realcased denoted that a good proportion of labour had been absorbed. This absorption of labour could be attributed to recent legation embodying increased wages, for shorter hours. The contention of the Labour Government was that increased wages meant reduced unemployment, and the people of New Zealand could now judge for themselves whether the Government was right or wrong. SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT. “There are nearly 11,000 less unemployed in New Zealand to-day than there were this time last year. That is a substanial improvement, and

when people consider it they should also consider the fast that we have placed thousands more on tnc paytoll—people who are not physically tit ti, work,’’ said Nir. Aimstiong The recently-released employment st.itis ties would have shown an even more substantial reduction in unemployment 'had it not been for the fact that the more liberal interpretations of the Labour Government had' allowed thousands of people to register as unemployed and participate in (he benefits of "sustenance. Such people had been denied that right by the previous Government. because they were not physically capable of earning a. living and rendering service. Prior to the advent of the Labour Government, there were thousands of people who lived on relief depots and charitable aid boards. A large percentage of them were now in receipt of sustenance so that, to-day, .although the figures showed 49,419 unemployed. the position was eminently better. “1 think I am safe in saying that at least one-third of those registered unemployed would be difficult, to place even if there were plenty of wotk offering. because, for various reasons, they are incapable of earning their living,” stated Nir. Armstrong. POSITION OF PENSIONERS. , “Whereas old age pensioners _ with i( dependents previously had to exist on their pension money, my Department now pays the difference between the pens’on and what the pensioner would I receive if he were on relief work. * thereby bringing the man s pension 3 up to 'relief pay,** the Minister told : “The Standard.” “We say that if an aged man has anyone dependent upon ’ him. even though he gets an old-age - pension, we will make up to him the amount he would gef on relief work. 1 This is not generally known, although ; the system has been operating since r about a month after I came into office.”

Mr. Armstrong qsoted the ease of an aged man who had re-married and had a wife and a young family dependent upon him. The ease, he said, was not unique, but was one of several, and' had to be consideed .n line with the Government’s programme.

Those who could not, for any reason, support themselves and their dependents. were assisted by the Government. THE PLACEMENT SCHEME Then, too, since the Placement Office had been made a separate Department it had been able to play a much more important part in the reduction of unemployment figures, the Minister said. For the last week, llrrlv-six different trades and' occupations were represented in the list of men pitied! in privi.it c, pcriiKincnt cdi* ploynicni by the Wellington oi’iite alone. The men who were placed last week included; accountants, apprentice carpenters, barmen, bookbinders, caretakers, carpenters, clerks, drainlayers. drivers, farm ' hand's, fene’ers fitters, garage assistants. gardeners, kitchenmen. general labourers, building labourers, linoleum layers, machinists, welders packers, painters, paperhangers, plumbers. pumi e boilermakers, potters, pressers, quarrymen, radio service. salesman, storeman, sheet-metal workers, travellers, turners, wickerworkers and wire workers. This wide range of occupations illustrated the far-seeing work of the Placement office, and also promised a continued reduction in unemployment figures. Reverting to the question of the short er working week the Minister said he had been approached on the subject of the five-day week for some Civil Servants who did not come under the general order of the Arbitration Court, and Were at present I working 38 hours spread over 6 days. I That, however, was a question for the Department to deal with and to decide whether it would be practicable He knew that a good proportion of six-day workers wanted the five-day week, and if they could obtain it through the Department, he would welcome the change. If work could bo done in a four-day week, he would still be sympathetic.

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