REVIEW OF LABOUR FORCE IN WANGANUI LAST DECEMBER

Wanganui Chronicle, 31 January 1950, Page 4

REVIEW OF LABOUR FORCE IN WANGANUI LAST DECEMBER

WELLINGTON, Last Night (0.C.) —The Wanganui district, with an estimated male labour force of 17,700 tenth largest force in New Zealandhad a total of 531 vacancies for male and female workers in all branches of its industries, according to a statistical release by the Department of Labour and Employment for last December. A total of 354 males—l 73 unskilled, 104 skilled adults, and 77 juveniles—were required to fill notified vacancies in industry, together with a total of 177 females—Bs skilled, 16 unskilled adults, and 22 juveniles. In reviewing the whole employment position for 1949. the release States that the vacancies notified to the Department fell below the 20,000 mark for the first time since the war. The lowest figure reached was 19,390 last July, the figure comprising 9952 vacancies for males and 9433 for females.

By October the usual seasonal demand for more labour had begun to make itself felt, and at the year's end the vacancies stood at 22,500—1000 above the figure at the beginning of 1949 The increased demand was chiefly for males. vacancies for males over the last three years have followed a regular seasonal pattern, vacancies for females have fallen steadily from their peak, of 132,000 in October, 1946. and during 1949 did no* rise above the February figure of 10,200,” states the review. "The fall has not been confined to any particular industry or group of industries, but has been general.” Dealing with unemployment., the review says it has been negligible since the war, and at the end of December, 1949. stood at less than 101 per cent, of the working population.