H. —]la.

1939. NEW ZEALAND.

DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR: EMPLOYMENT DIVISION. REPORT OF THE ASSISTANT-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 Labour. Department of Labour, Wellington, Ist July, 1939. 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 to that 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, 1938, to 31st March, 1939, except where otherwise indicated. I have, &c., A. J. Ridler, Assistant Secretary of Labour. ADMINISTRATION. The Department's activities throughout the year have been conducted very smoothly, the procedure of direct control of district centres proving most satisfactory in handling the many aspects of unemployment relief and employment promotion. The Post and Telegraph Department continued its material assistance, and through its extensive organization was able to execute the Department's requirements in the fullest detail. While the Head Office staff of the Department had throughout most of the year been kept generally in touch with the Social Security proposals, for the last four months the participation was very active, and long hours were involved in dealing with the new Social Security work and at the same time in keeping up with normal employment duties. To cope with those benefits taking the place of sustenance, Scheme 5, and payment of allowances to those unfit for employment through ill health or other reasons, the greater part of the Department's staff was, after the 31st March, 1939, taken over by the Social Security Department. The full strength of the Employment Division staff before this change-over was 872. Of this number, 491 were transferred to the Social Security Department as from the Ist April, 1939, 19 were taken over by the Mines Department to continue the gold-mining scheme, 11 returned to the Post and Telegraph Department, the services of 117 for whom no further work could be provided in the Social Security and Mines Departments were dispensed with, and the balance of 234 continue the activities remaining with the Employment Division from the Ist April, 1939. It is pleasing to record that the Public Service Commissioner has found employment for a number of those temporary employees whose services could not be continued with the Social Security Department. The nature and scope of the schemes to be continued by the Employment Division are dealt with at a later stage in the report. While this report must, of course, deal with the Department's stewardship for the year ended the 31st March, 1939, it is probably desirable to give at this stage some indication of the organization of the Employment Division of the Labour Department and the manner in which its functions will be

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