UNEMPLOYMENT

Southland Times, Issue 19256, 21 June 1921, Page 5

UNEMPLOYMENT

GROWING TOTAL AT DUNEDIN CORPORATION SHORTENING HANDS (Special to the Times.) DUNEDIN. June 20. The number of unemployed unskilled workers appears to be steadily growing in Dunedin. Mr L. D. Browett, officer in charge of the Dunedin Labour Department, states that the number on his books on Monday of last week was about 88. Of that number 22 were found work. To-day the number registered by the Department was 103. A large number of the applicants for work have their homes in Dunedin, and naturally are not inclined to go out of town while there is any chance of securing employment locally. The tree-pianting work at Tapanui is reserved for men who are not too strong, and returned soldiers who are recovering their health have preference. Other men are sent to road works at Tawanui and Roxburgh-Beaumont. Huts are provided for the men at Beaumont and Tapanui, and tents with bunks at Tawanui. The men work on a contract basis, and their earnings average from 10/- to 12/per day. During the past three or four months some fifty or sixty men have been pit off Dunedin Corporation works as the result of a revision of the plans of the corporation regarding street formation. Another twenty or thirty men have received notice that their services may be dispensed with in the next few days. The Corporation officials, however, are endeavouring to retairt their more expert workmen as long as posedtble, and excavation works at the southern reservoir are proceeding. Mr L. F. Evans, secretary of the Central Labour Bureau, states that there are a considerable number of unskilled workers connected with foundries, etc., out of work, but that, strangely enough, one or two of the foundries are doing more work at present than they have done for a number of years past. As regards carpenters the position is about normal for this time of the year, and the prospects are more hopeful than is the case with a number of other skilled trades. It is rather difficult to accurately gauge the position regarding some of the skilled and semi-skilled workers, as when their particular employment becomes Slack they gravitate into the unskilled labour class.

SITUATION AT WELLINGTON. WELLINGTON, June 20. There were ninety-six callers at the men’s employment bureau of the Labour Department last week. Work was secured for 45 applicants, 31 being sent to private positions and 14 to Public Works Department jobs. The number of names remaining on the bureau books at the end of the week was 398, mostly labourers. MEN PLACED DURING WEEK. For the week ended on Saturday the Labour Department in Invercargill placed 40 men in private employment and three were disposed of otherwise. There were still 24 men fit for heavy and two for light work. The Repatriation Department placed 27 men and it has one for light and one for heavy work waiting. Most of the men for whom work, was found were sent to the Bluff 'wharf where, of course, the employment is only temporary. It is still apparent that the great majority of the men are unskilled.