UNEMPLOYMENT SCHEME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20724, 18 November 1930, Page 10

UNEMPLOYMENT SCHEME.

PROGRESS OF REGISTRATION.

450,000 CERTIFICATES ISSUED

[ riV TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, Monday.

Tlio task of issuing registration certificates in connection with tho Government's unemployment scheino is now almost completed. About 450,000 certificates have been issued, including some 30,000 since November 11, tho date by which applications were! officially required to bo made. Applications for registration are still being received. Tho work of compiling the register is now commencing. First of all tiio registration forms arc being arranged alphabetically, a team of eleven boys being engaged in tho work. Tlio size of tho task will be appreciated for all tho forms have to bo overhauled in tho process and each alphabetical section has in itself to bo arranged alphabetically.

POSITION IN AUCKLAND. ISSUE OF RECEIPT BOOKS. Registrations under the Unemployment. Act are still being made at tho special bureau at tho back of tho Welleslcy Street post odice, and at suburban and country offices as well. Tho buroau is to bo kept open for some tiino for the issue of contribution books, and tho postal authorities arc thus able conveniently to register latecomers. Tho same is true of tho other ollices.

It is impossible to say at present how many Auckland men have failed to carry out their obligation under tho Act. The number of men of 20 years and over in tho Auckland postal district can only be estimated, and as the country offices aro sending their registration returns direct to Wellington the chief postmaster, Mr. 11. I'. Donald, has no recent figures for the district as a whole. It may bo added that tho post office has no duty in tho matter- except to register applicants and issuo certificates and contribution books. It rests with tho Minister of Labour and tho. police to gather in defaulters. Supplies of contribution books are coming to hand, and arc being issued to applicants who produco their registration certificates. In the case of the 20,000 employees for whom application forms were provided through the city firms employing thein, certificates and books aro being issued together as tho books become available. This saves trouble to both tho officials and the men themselves. If any such employees wonder why I hey have not yet been issued with certificates, the reason is that books for them have not yet arrived. However, Mr. Donald expects that tho work will bo finished by December 1, tho date when tho first quarterly payment is duo.