UNEMPLOYMENT PROBLEM.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20958, 22 February 1930, Page 19

UNEMPLOYMENT PROBLEM.

POSITION IN INVERCARGILL. MANY MEN OUT OF WORK. .(Special to Daily Times.) INVERCARGILL, February 21. A meeting of last year’s Unemployment Committee is to be held on March 13, and inquiries show that the position at present warrants the action df calling the committee together. It is estimated that there are at present twice as many men unemployed in Invercargill as there was at the same period last year. When a Southland Times reporter, approached Mr T. O’Byrne to-day the latter stated that the present time, of the year was a good one, as there was a *number of seasonable occupations in operation. There were very few competent sawmillers out, of work, but there was always a certain number of unemployed labourers. At present there should be very little unemployment. It Was after the freezing works and dairy factories closed that the trouble would be fully experienced. The prospects were certainly not very, bright. The sawmills were going well, concluded Mr. .0 Byrne, the opening of the Port Craig mill having absorbed some 60 men. The secretary of the Southland Education Board {Mr R. Brownlie) said that in regard to unemployment among scnool teachers his board did not view the positmn in a serious light. At the beginning of the month 47 • teachers; were not in permanent positions, and this included 14 graduates from the Training College. Ut that number 21 were in temporary relieving positions. Twenty-sis teachers w cr e not in employment. There are more teachers .out of work this year than at the same time last year, for .the reason that the board had to “£ re re V- evin S teachers last year,” i L® 1 ? 1 !! 16 ' P ‘ Evidently, the genekeaUh of the teachers is better this year, than last year/' .