ll.—lla.

The various schemes, &c., outlined above are later more fully defined in this report. In connection with its promotion of employment activities the Division is in close contact with, and receives helpful co-operation from, other Departments of State ; in addition, it is represented on the Land Development Committee, the Primary Production Councils, and on both the Dominion and local Councils for the Training of Auxiliary Workers. Certain phases of the task of rehabilitation of men who return from service with the armed forces are being undertaken by this Division per medium of the State Placement Service, and as repatriation measures come within the jurisdiction of the Hon. the Minister of National Service, an outline of these activities is included in the annual report of the National Service Department under the heading " Repatriation." PROMOTION OF EMPLOYMENT. In pursuance of the policy of arranging full-time work for physically-fit men whom it has not been possible to absorb in private employment, subsidies have been made available throughout the year to local bodies, farmers, &c., for the employment of disengaged men on suitable works of a national or local character and of a definite value to the community. It will be seen from Table I of the Appendix that the number employed on subsidized schemes has shown a steady decline since the 21st September, 1940, when the peak winter figure was reached, until at the sth April, 1941, only some 7,520 were engaged. This is the smallest number ever recorded as being engaged on employment-promotion schemes and gives some indication of the extent to which recruitments in the armed forces, the Dominion's war effort, &c., generally have depleted the surplus labour supply. This figure of 7,520 is some 5,216 less than the corresponding figure for last year. Supplementary to Table I is Table 11, showing the dissection into age groups of the numbers of men employed under the various schemes as at sth April, 1941., The relative fitness for work of those men employed on Scheme No. 13 at this date is also shown. FINANCIAL. Provision for expenditure incurred in the promotion of employment is subject to appropriation by Parliament in terms of the Public Revenues Act, 1926, and during the year under review the sum of £2,605,971 (gross) was appropriated from the Consolidated Fund under vote "Labour" for this purpose. The amount appropriated included £105,971 (gross) to cover administration expenses ; and when the Employment Division was transferred from the Labour Department to the National Service Department provision was made for the net administration expenses in connection with the employmentpromotion schemes and the State Placement Service to be recovered from vote " National Service." The not payments during the year ended 31st March, 1941, including administration expenses recovered from vote " National Service," were as follows :— Employment-promotion schemes— £ £ Scheme No. 4b .. .. .. .. .. 296,274 Scheme No. 4p .. .. .. .. .. 20,145 Scheme No. 13 .. .. .. .. ..2,069,422 Scheme No. 16 .. .. .. .. .. 12,318 Scheme No. 16a .. .. .. .. .. 577 Insurance of workers .. .. .. .. 3,082 Transport of workers .. .. .. .. 1,567 Youths farm settlement .. .. .. .. 826 Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. .. 8,575 — 2,412,786 Administration expenses — Advertising .. .. .. .. .. 11 Fitting up accommodation .. .. .. ... 287 Motor-vehicles, maintenance of .. .. .. 691 Office equipment .. .. .. .. .. 161 Office expenses .. .. .. .. .. 228 Overtime and meal allowances .. .. .. 208 Postages and telegrams, &c. .. .. .. .. 1,787 Printing and stationery .. .. .. .. 1,199 Rent, heating, and lighting .. .. .. .. 4,153 Salaries and allowances •.. .. .. .. 57,166 Services rendered by other Departments .. .. 30,750 Telephone services .. .. .. .. .. 1,500 Transfer and removal expenses .. .. .. 46 Travelling-expenses .. .. .. .. .. 2,539 Typewriters — Maintenance of .. .. .. .. .. 48 Purchase of .. .. .. .. 25 Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. .. 15 — 100,814 £2,513,600 The total expenditure under the employment-promotion schemes during the year ended 31st March, 1940, was £2,883,874, as compared with £2,412,786 during the year under review, a reduction of £471,088.

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