H.—Ha,

1938. NEW ZEALAND.

DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR: EMPLOYMENT DIVISION. REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF LABOUR UPON ACTIVITIES AND PROCEEDINGS UNDER THE EMPLOYMENT PROMOTION ACT, 1936.

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

REPORT.

To the Hon. the Minister of Labotjb. Department of Labour, Wellington, Ist July, 1938. Sir,— I have the honour to present herewith for the information of His Excellency the GovernorGeneral the report upon the activities of the Employment Division of the Department in administering the Employment Promotion Act, 1936. This report, which is complementary with that submitted under my hand and dated Ist June, 1938, dealing with industrial and other matters, is prepared in compliance with the Labour Department Act, 1908, as amended by the Labour Department Amendment Act, 1936. The report covers the year Ist April, 1937, to 31st March, 1938, so far as financial statements are concerned, and the period 29th August, 1937, to 4th June, 1938, in respect of other data, except where otherwise indicated. I have, &c., J. S. Hunter, Secretary of Labour.

ADMINISTRATION. Although since the abolition of the Unemployment Board the administration of the measures dealing with the promotion of employment and assistance to unemployed persons has been controlled by the Labour Department, the Post and Telegraph Department still acts as agent on the Department's behalf in centres with no permanent Labour Department official. The policy of direct control by the Labour Department indicated in the previous report has resulted in a further reduction of Post Office responsibility during the past year. It must be stressed, however, that the Post Office represents a very valuable means for making local contact with applicants for unemployment relief both for the purpose of registration and for payment. This is especially so in small and sometimes remote places. At the present time Post Office officials are in charge of 162 of the 192 offices where there are permanent Government officers authorized to act as certifying officers for the purpose of certifying payments from the Employment Promotion Fund. The work done in Post and Telegraph offices represents about 20 per cent, of the total local office activities of the Labour Department and is subject to both Head Office and Inspectorial control by the latter. The staffing of offices presents difficulties principally on account of the fluctuations in the unemployment registrations and of the variations in the volume of work which this entails. Having regard, however, to the necessity for an efficient organization to carry out the functions for which the Employment Promotion Fund is expended, it can be stated that the facilities for the conduct of clerical work have been adequately adjusted to the varying volume of work. Improvements in the

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