PROMOTION OF EMPLOYMENT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 97, 27 April 1939, Page 8

PROMOTION OF EMPLOYMENT

LABOUR DECIDED INCREASE IN NUMBER OF MEN USE OF STATE FUNDS IN THE CITY SUM OF £304,038 IN SEVEN YEARS. "The number bf men employed by the council under the various schemes financed from the Employment Promotion Fund has shown a decided increase over the corresponding figures for the previous year,” reported the city engineer (Mr. L. F. Row). Mr. Row has shown that during the past seven years £304.038 has been spent in the city by the council frpm monies supplied from the Employment Promtion Fund. Last year the amount was £46,675, an increase of 25 per cent. Mr. Row presented a table showing the number of men employed each month on council work and on work for bodies other than the council. He showed the number of men whose wages were wholly paid by the State and others whose wages were subsidised. The total number of men employed each month (council and other bodies combined) was:

Outside work the men were engaged on was provided by the Jockey Club, schools and sports bodies, the council acting as the official employing authority. Conditions of Employment. “Throughout the year all men have been employed on a full time 40 hours per week basis at award rates of pay (usually £4 13s 4d per week),’ Mr. Row continued. “All men en-' gaged on tramway work were subsidised from the Employment Promotion Fund to the extent of £2 5s per week, while men in the Works and Services Department were in some cases subsidised from the fund by £4 3s 4d per week and in other cases by £2 5s per week. “Early in the year al! sports and other outside bodies contributed 13s 4d per week for each man they engaged, but later in the year men were provided in manv cases at the sole cost of the Labour Department. “In the case of special relief work jobs, such as levelling Victoria Park and Gonville Domain, formation of Carlton Avenue Extension, deviation of Great North Road, Cook's Gardens improvements, etc., the whole of the wages were paid from the Employment Promotion Fund. From the month of August on to the end of the financial year, at the request of the Labour Department, a number of unfit men were provided with light employment. Expenditure From Employment Fund. “The total amount of wages from the fund paid out by the council on behalf of the Labour Department was £46,675, representing a 25 per cent, increase on the previous year. The figures for the past seven years are as follow: i Year. £ 1932- . . 20,244 1933- . 33,992 1934- 42,492 ’ 1935- 57,546 1936- 65,754 1937- 37,335 1935-39 46.675 Total for seven years £304,038 “The year’s total of £46.675 from the Employment Promotion Fund may be divided under the following general headings:— £ (a) Special relief works and general works wholly paid by Labour Department 33,207 (b) Subsidy on wages in Works and Services partially paid by council (See Appendix B.) 8.679 (c) Subsidy on wages in Tramways Department, partially paid by Council 702 (d) Subsidy on wages for schools, sports bodies, etc., where outside body paid portion of wages 4,087 Total £46,675

1938-39 1937-38. April 133 107 May 115 97 June .. 169 97 July . . 215 96 August 274 193 September 276 209 October .. .. 269 209 November 261 ISO December 234 141 January . , 228 144 February 221 135 March 137