H.—lla.

SICKNESS ALLOWANCES. The sickness payments which were made from the Employment Promotion Fund in special cases prior to Ist April, 1939, have been discontinued as from that date, as such cases are now provided for by way of sickness benefits under the Social Security Act. UNEMPLOYED WOMEN AND GIRLS. As the Social Security Act makes provision for the granting of unemployment benefits to females on the same basis as for males, the special arrangement which existed up to 31st March, 1939, whereby assistance was granted to unemployed women and girls through the medium of Women's Employment Committees was terminated as at that date. All applications for assistance by unemployed females are now dealt with directly by the district offices of the Social Security Department. The enrolment for employment and the placement of females still remains a function of this Department, and the work is now being carried out by the various Placement Officers and, in the four main centres, by the Youth Centres in the case of girls. It is only fitting that reference should be made in this report to the lengthy association between the Department and the various Women's Employment Committees, and to record the fact that over a period of some seven years these committees carried out a difficult task in a most efficient manner. The members of the committees acted in an entirely honorary capacity, and unselfishly devoted a good deal of their private time to the betterment of the position of those women and girls who were unfortunately unemployed. The voluntary service rendered by the lady members of these committees is deeply appreciated. STATE PLACEMENT SERVICE. During the period 31st January, 1938, to 31st March, 1939, the State Placement Service has continued to enjoy the confidence of workers and employers. By administrative planning and careful attention to all who have had need of its services it has gained the position of a Dominion clearing-house for labour. The social and economic value of placement activity, demonstrated by the widespread and numerous calls made upon the Placement Service, warranted the adoption of the Service as a permanent feature of the State organization. Beyond the arrangements made by the Government for assisting building tradesmen to come to New Zealand, the control of unassisted immigration has been a responsibility of the State Placement Service, first through correspondence with seekers of information in all parts of the world and secondly through the referral of immigrant enrolees to employment. The work of dovetailing, by special arrangement, farm and seasonal labour requirements with labour-supplies continues to be performed, as does that of effecting the placement of partially disabled workers and that also of industrially rehabilitating many so-called unemployables. PLACEMENT STATISTICS. As pointed out in previous reports, placements recorded indicate " positions filled." In some cases the one individual may have re-enrolled and been placed several times during the year. Placements during the years 1936 (part), 1937, 1938, and 1939 (first three months) were—

Table IX of the Appendix shows the distribution among provinces of positions filled during the twelve months, Ist January, to 31st December, 1938, while it also gives the comparable figures for the first quarter of the current year, 1939. Table X indicates the origin according to provinces of all enrolments in the two periods the 31st January to 31st December, 1938, and Ist January to 31st March, 1939. Table Xl of the Appendix gives details of the distribution amongst industrial groups of all enrolments and all placements recorded during the same periods —viz., 31st January to 31st December, 1938, and Ist January to 31st March, 1939. It will be observed that, whereas placements are recorded —both in this table and in Table IX of the appendix—for the periods Ist January to 31st December, 1938, and Ist January to 31st March, 1939, enrolments, on the other hand, are shown as far as the former period is concerned from 31st January to 31st December only. Table XT, depicting enrolment and placement movements between the various industrial groups in respect of the former period, also commences as from 31st January, 1938, and not Ist January as in the case of the figures relating to positions filled. The system of recording enrolments was revised last year,

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1936: 1937: j 1938: 1939 : May January j January January Total to to | to to to Date. December. December. December. March. I Permanent (of three months duration and over) .. 9,530 17,650 12,885 3,204 43,269 Temporary (over one week but less than three months) 5,384 12,051 9,416 2,598 29,449 Casual (up to one week) .. .. .. .. 4,329 17,092 17,354 4,285 43,060 Totals.. .. .. .. .. 19,243 46,793 39,655 10,087 115,778 (N.B.—This table excludes placements with Government Departments and those of females into private employment.)