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Service in the Armed Forces Officers absent with the Forces at 31st March, 1946 .. .. .. 32 Officers absent with the Forces at 31st March, 1947 .. .. 11 Net reduction .. .. .. .. 21 . Officers who resumed duty during the year .. .. .. 25 Officers who resigned during the year after service in the Forces .. .. 5 Officers absent at 31st March, 1947, on leave without pay for rehabilitation purposes .. .. .. .. .. .. 15 7. The opportunity is taken to record appreciation of the loyal co-operation and sincere endeavour of the staff of Head Office and district offices in the establishment of the National Employment Service. The long hours of overtime during the years of wartime pressure have not had to be continued, but there have been many difficulties, and, in addition, the establishment of new procedure and the acquiring of an entirely different outlook in handling the wide and still-growing employment problems have demanded close attention to detailed instructions, and have required sympathetic understanding -of the important issues involved. SECTION lII.—PLACEMENT ACTIVITIES 8. One of the important functions of the Department is the placement of persons in employment. The Department's placement facilities are available both to disengaged persons and to those who are already engaged but who desire a change of employment. During the twelve months ended 31st March, 1947, a total of 25,022 men and women were placed in vacant positions by the district offices of the Department. This figure included 21,238 men and 3,784 women. Of the males, 7,924 were ex-servicemen, 899 were regarded as being semi-employable, and 269 were over sixty years of age. The successful placement in employment of semi-employables and persons over sixty years ■of age is one of the most difficult tasks of an employment service, and the results of the Department's efforts in this sphere are gratifying. The number of unplaced persons enrolled on 31st March, 1947, was only 74, which is the lowest figure on record. 9. Placement of males per thousand of the labour force ranged from 12 to 95 per thousand, according to district, the figure for the whole Dominion being 41 per thousand. The districts with a male placement rate above 50 per thousand were Napier, Gisborne, Nelson, Oamaru, Ashburton, Dunedin, Blenheim, Hastings, and Rotorua, in that order. 10. The 21,238 placements of men were spread over the entire industrial field; -3,664 were in primary industries, 11,548 in secondary industries, and the balance, 6,026, were in the tertiary group. The numbers of placements in some of the more important individual industries were : farming, 2,583 ; forestry and sawmilling, 925 ; coal-mining, 167 ; meat-freezing, 1,312; dairy factories, 384; woollen and knitting mills, 239 ; footwear-factories, 259 ; engineering, 2,051 ; road, &c., transport, 549 ; building and construction, 3,783 ; hospitals, 244. 11. Of the female placements, 35 per cent, were in the Nelson district. This reflects the efforts made by the Service to meet the seasonal labour demands of fruit, hop, and tobacco growers. The Department has in recent years assumed responsibility for the organization of workers for this work. As a result of this organization the growers in Nelson have been able to rely on a more adequate supply of labour, despite the growing .demand for labour in city areas. 12. Among the placements of women were 477 into hospitals, 443 into hotels and restaurants, 247 into clothing-factories, and 254 into household and personal services. 13. In general perspective the figures show that male workers seeking employment •during the period under review have taken full advantage of the service offered to them in quickly locating suitable employment. In affording this service to workers the Department has been able, by voluntary means, to influence the flow of male labour in accordance with the national needs.

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