H.—lla.

Australia, Great Britain, and Canada, in that order, have provided the greatest number of immigrants during both of the periods reviewed. In that portion of last year surveyed, of the total of 510 enrolees, 248 came from Australia, 182 from Great Britain and Ireland, and 29 from Canada. In the second period the numbers from these countries were 509, 190, and 37, respectively. Thus from 22nd July, 1938, to 31st March, 1939, of the 1,289 immigrants who have enrolled witli the State Placement Service, 757 have emigrated from Australia, 372 from the British Isles, and 66 from Canada. The balance of the 1,289 enrolments recorded during this period lias included immigrants from South Africa (4), other British countries (36), Americas (10), Asia (8), Europe (30), foreign Pacific islands (6). From the occupational aspect an analysis of the enrolments of all immigrants during the two periods covered by Tables XII and XIII is significant. In the first period (Table XII) the 510 enrolments recorded were distributed occupationally thus : unskilled workers, 284 ; semi-skilled, 20 ; skilled, 104; commercial, 61 ; professional, 11 ; domestic, 13; unclassified, 17. Following the same classification, the 779 second-period enrolments (Table XIII) are subdivided thus : unskilled workers, 294 ; semi-skilled, 67 ; skilled, 322 ; commercial, 53 ; professional, 9 ; domestic, 22 ; unclassified, 12. Two of the features of these figures are salient —the very large proportion of unskilled workers enrolling in both periods, and the marked increase in enrolments of skilled workers during the second period over those recorded in the first period. Of 1,289 enrolees, no fewer than 578 were unskilled. Considering this in relation to the number of unskilled men in the Dominion awaiting absorption into private industry, the extent of the immigration of unskilled workers merits close attention. Skilled workers enrolled during the first three months of 1939, totalling 322, exceed the enrolments of such workers in the previous period (July to December, 1938) by 218. To a certain extent the enrolments of this kind during the first quarter of this year were inflated by the formal enrolment of a number of Australian building artisans encouraged by the Government to immigrate. (N.B.—Contingents of the 400-odd Australians, engaged did not commence to arrive until March of this year, and an estimate of 150 enrolments from this source in thfe enrolments of skilled workers under review is liberal.) It will be seen, then, that, although unskilled workers have sought asylum in the Dominion in considerable number, skilled workers—both building and engineering artisans —have immigrated to meet in some degree the shortage of labour in their trades. It is evident that the immigration of skilled workers, quite apart from the numbers directly encouraged by the Government to come to New Zealand, has received a considerable impetus of late months. This conclusion is further strongly supported by the fact that many skilled workers who have immigrated —particularly building tradesmen—have not had need to enrol at Placement Offices to find employment, and have not theiefore appeared in the enrolments of this class of worker. Considering this jointly with the fact that the great bulk of unskilled immigrants needs must enrol to obtain employment, the apparently high number of unskilled enrolees is understandable. Immigrant enrolees have also been classified according to age-groups, the distribution of the total of 1,289 enrolments (22nd July, 1938, to 31st March, 1939) being—

Twenty-eight of the 68 enrolees over the age of fifty were unskilled workers ; while among the immigrants in the age-group forty-one to fifty a further 80 enrolees out of a total of 181 in the agegroup were unskilled. It is apparent that, in the absence of restrictive measures as applied by other countries in respect of immigration policy, there is a number of elderly unskilled workers gaining entry to the Dominion. While unskilled labour is in such surfeit in New Zealand, from the aspect of employment prospects alone the immigration of this type of worker is inadvisable ; while the implications, as far as eligibility for age benefits under the Social Security Act is concerned, emphasize the need for a far greater control over immigration, possibly by means of the extension of the permit system to persons living in the British Empire as well as in other parts of the world. GOVERNMENT YOUTH CENTRES. In the last annual report of the Employment Division of the Labour Department mention was made, in referring to vocational guidance and youth employment activities, of the opening of Government youth centres. These offices have now been in operation for some twelve months, and, as the youth centres represent the first formal attempt on the part of the State to give school-leavers and also young people in uncongenial employment the benefits of scientific vocational guidance and placement in consonance therewith, it is considered opportune to outline here the functions carried out by the centres and to traverse also the historical circumstances in which youth centres have come into being. In these centres the dual work of rendering vocational guidance and youth employment facilities ■is undertaken. Girls from school-leaving age up to twenty-one years of age and boys from the time they leave school until they turn eighteen—when they may avail themselves of the service given by adult Placement Offices —are the young people with whom the centres are most directly concerned, but children while yet at school are also coming increasingly within the scope of these operations. Where, too, the circumstances warrant it, assistance is not withheld from youths above the upper age limit usually observed.

12

Under 20. 20-25. j 26-30. 31-40. 41-50. Over 50. Total. I - 50 368 279 343 181 68 1,289