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1931. NEW ZEALAND.

DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR (REPORT OF THE).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

REPORT.

The Secketaky, Department of Labour, to the Hon. the Ministeb of Labour. Sir, — Department of Labour, Wellington, 18th June, 1931. I have the honour to present herewith the fortieth annual report of this Department, for the information of His Excellency the Governor-General, and to be laid before Parliament, in compliance with the Labour Department Act, 1908, and the Factories Act, 1921-22. The report covers the financial year Ist April, 1930, to 31st March, 1931. Owing to the present need for economy, the report has been made as brief as possible. I have, &c., W. Newton, The Hon. the Minister of Labour. Secretary of Labour.

UNEMPLOYMENT. On the 31st- March, 1930, there were 3,130 applicants registered at the Department's employment offices throughout the Dominion. The number increased steadily from that date until the 22nd September, when a total of 6,099 was reached. The Unemployment Act was passed on the 11th October, 1930, and from that date registrations of unemployed males increased rapidly until on the 30th March, 1931, there were 38,028 applicants on the Department's registers. As mentioned in my report of last year, the second report of the Unemployment Committee was duly presented to Parliament, and as a result of the introduction of legislation, based to some extent on the recommendations of the Committee, the Unemployment Act, 1930, was passed. The administration of this Act is in the hands of the Unemployment Board, which was first set up on the 20th November, 1930. As will be apparent, a tremendous amount of additional work has been involved in registering the greatly increased number of unemployed, and also in placing the men in employment under the various schemes introduced by the Unemployment Board. As a consequence a number of the officers of the Department have had to devote practically their whole time to this work, and many have found it necessary to work a considerable amount of overtime to cope with the rush of applicants. The willingness with -which this has been done is an indication of the splendid spirit of the members of the staff, who have cheerfully sacrificed their own leisure in order that the Department's employment offices might function smoothly and expeditiously. In addition, it has been necessary to obtain a good deal of assistance from other Government Departments (principally the Post and Telegraph Department), and all the officers so detailed to assist in the unemployment work have rendered excellent service. I may mention that, where this Department has no office, provision is made for the unemployed to register at the nearest permanent post-office, and in many cases the accommodation at these offices has been severely taxed in coping with the position which has arisen. During the year 30,223 men were placed in employment, 12,586 on Government works, 9,245 with local bodies (of whom 3,428 were given employment at Christmas-time under the Unemployment Board's No. 3 Scheme), 7,320 in private employment, and 1,072 on temporary work immediately following the Hawke's Bay earthquake. In addition, 365 persons were assisted by advances of railway fares, while 421 received a cash payment equal to the value of two days' work, there being no opportunity of affording them employment under No. 3 Scheme already referred to. There were 68,449 persons dependent on the workers assisted to employment. (Figures for the previous year were : 14,537, Government works ; 4,319, local bodies ; 3,034, private employment —total, 21,890 : dependants, 40,086.) Of the 38,028 applicants at the 30th March, 1931, 24,941 were working under the Unemployment Board's Scheme No. 5, which provides for three weeks' (out of every four weeks) temporary employment up to four days each week, according to each man's circumstances. The men so employed are not regarded as " placements," and are not therefore included in the figure 30,223 (supra). At no time in the history of the country has unemployment assumed such large proportions as it has since the passing of the Unemployment Act. While a proportion of the increase in the number of unemployed is no doubt due to the fact that many applicants who previously did not consider it worth their while to register are now desirous of participating in any benefits the Act may confer, the main reason for the increase can be found only in the financial and economic condition of the country.

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