AUCKLAND ON TOP

Manawatu Times, Volume LII, Issue 3577, 7 April 1927, Page 9

AUCKLAND ON TOP

IN UNEMPLOYMENT FIGURES. AN UNDESIRABLE DISTINCTION. In mid-February, 1927, 582 names remained on 'the unemployment register' at 1 Auckland, as (compared, with 244 in Wellington, 285 in Christchurch, 193 in Dunedin and 197 in other centres, making a Dominion total xff 1501; The register are purged regularly and these .figures represent only active registrations. In commenting upon these figures the Auckland Chamber of Commerce Journal suggests the following explanations. ’ In commenting upon these figures the Auckland Chamber of Commerce Journal suggests ,tho following explanation:— 1 Tho higher figures for Auckland may be ascribed to:— (1) Its greater population. This factor, however, fails to account for anything like the full difference. (2) The fact that most overseas vessels call at northern ports; so that Immigrants with no set work to go to naturally apply to the bureaux in that island. (3) The more rapid recent development of tho North, encouraging souhterners out of work to migrate northwards in search for a job. (4) The larger proportion of new undertakings in the neighbourhood of Auckland (due to the more rapid recent developments in that, province), which from their very newness have less stability and fewer reserves for withstanding adverse conditions. (5) The recent declines in export prices have been, broadly speaking, most marked amongst kauri gum and butter: and the entire Dominion export of the former commodity and tho bulk of the Dominion export of tho latter come from this district. Consequently the slump has hit Auckland more severely than most other parts of the Dominion. Auckland provincial district also produces nearly of the total Dominion output of sawn timber, and this is another industry which for various reasons has been passing through difficult times. The amount of faith placed in the Government bureaux probably also differs somewhat from place to place.