E. R. S. News-Letter

Cue (NZERS), Issue 36, 30 November 1945, Page 33

E. R. S. News-Letter

National Employment Service.— The latest development of the Government’s “Full Employment” policy is the establishment of a National Employment Service and a bill to effect this is now before Parliament. The functions of this Service are both to place workers in employment and to help employers with their labour requirements. It will also act as a guide, philosopher and friend to those in all sections of the community who want either to improve their prospects or to find employment more suited to their talents or training. The ideal of “the right man in the right place” will be their aim, difficult as it may prove of achievement.

The service will fill a useful place in the social structure both in this way and by making of surveys of seasonal labour requirements and of long term alterations in employment trends. Thus it will be able to announce what professions and trades are overstocked with labour and what offer opportunities for new recruits, which trades are contracting and which expanding and so on. It will also assist in necessary moves of labour to places where new employment is offering, and will be able to give the Housing Department forecasts of housing requirements where communities are expanding because of growing trade. It will call on the advice and assistance of local citizens through the now well-tested method of local advisory councils and committees. * * * Trade Training or Business Investigations in U. K. — A number of firms

in New Zealand wish soldiers serving here to go to the United Kingdom for short periods to learn new processes or developments, or otherwise enlarge their experience, a thing of benefit to themselves, to the firm, and in the long view, to the country. Facilities are therefore granted for this, but the application must come from the firm in New Zealand and is granted only with the approval of Army H. Q. Certain conditions as to payment of fares and grant of leave without pay have to be agreed to and if this is settled, approved personnel are then told that they can proceed to U. K. but only when they are eligible for return to New Zealand. Further, they will then not be eligible for U. K. leave under the ordinary scheme. It should be noted that if you go home on U. K. leave, you cannot apply for its extension for business or trade reasons.

Electric Arc Welding. — N. Z. School of Education has now prepared a study course in this subject and it will be issued on application in the usual way. * * * N. Z. Railways.— Railway Rehabilitation Officers have now been appointed at Auckland, Wanganui, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill. Their duties include writing to men on their return, visiting hospital cases, advising ex-servicemen on Railway Department matters, and arranging place-

ment, trade training and so on. They will watch over the welfare of the returned men in the Department and will work in with the District Rehabilitation Officer. ❖ * * New Cars for Servicemen. — Many servicemen on their return have applied for release of a used army car, but found very few left. It is expected that next year about 8,000 new cars will arrive in New Zealand but the price is high. A ten horse-power car will cost over L6OO. These cars will not .be for general sale but will be sold on definite priorities. These are: (a) Health services, e. g. doctors, district nurses, etc., (b) producers and distributors of goods essential to the country’s economic welfare, e. g. stock and station agents, wool buyers, etc., (c) public facilities, e. g. taxis and local bodies. Applications from ex-servicemen, properly recommended by the Rehabilitation Department, will also receive priority. This recommendation will only be given when a car is essential to the rehabilitation of the servicemen. Loans to purchase the cars can be applied for and will be granted if approved after the usual investigation. Many servicemen will no doubt feel that the price is too high for their pockets and in such cases the only recourse is either to try to buy a second-hand car, or wait for an army car whose price is not only very reasonable but subject to a servicemen’s discount of fifteen per cent. * * * Housing Transit Centres.—To alleviate in some degree the desperate position of many people as to accommodation,buildings in military camps are being turned into transit centres. This will be done by local bodies who will control the centres. No tenants will be taken unless they have first been approved by the State Advances Corporation and those who are likely to have to wait some time for a State House will be preferred to those whose applications are high on

the list. This is to avoid too much movement in and out of the camps. As for state houses, fifty per cent of the accommodation will be reserved for exservicemen. * * * Study Courses. — Since the figures for study courses issued were published in CUE 32, a big increase has taken place. In the last two months 1810 courses have been issued, or thirty a day. This figure gives some indication of the keenness of troops to fill in their time with something worth while. IJ4 5*4 sf; Furniture Loan Restriction. — The serviceman obtaining the LIOO free of interest furniture loan may not now spend it on whatever furniture he wishes, but must buy with it furniture bearing the standard specifications mark laid down by the New Zealand Standards Institute. This should be remembered when planning expenditure. * * * Additional Aid for Married Farm Trainees. — House allowances will now be granted to married farm trainees who have had to be placed for training on farms without married accommodation. The board is prepared to pay the difference between the 10/ the farmer can deduct for providing a house and the rent or mortgage instalments actually paid, with a maximum of 30/ — a week., E.g., a farm trainee in the Rangitikei has to leave his wife and family in a rented house in Wanganui. The rent is L2 ss. The board will consider paying the full allowance of LI 10s. In a similar case the rent paid is LI 12s 6d. The board will not in this case pay more than LI 2s 6d. Where mortgage payments are involved the weekly sum against which the allowance is calculated is reckoned on both interest and principal payments.

Moving Expenses for Farm Trainees.— Formerly the board would pay moving expenses once and once only. Now, where other moves are .necessary and are a direct result of training, the board will consider paying for them. * * * Building Materials.—The Director of Rehabilitation recently gave some very informative figures, explaining the inevitable time-lag now being experienced by men wishing to build their own homes. New Zealand’s needs of timber to maintain her present building schedule he stated to be 450,000,000 feet a year. Last year 350,000,000 feet were milled, and this year only 340,000,000. Cement is also in drastically short sup-

ply, and it is stated that in this industry the reason for the shortage is lack of suitable coal, the coal from opencast mining being unsuitable for the purpose. Many small manufacturers of cement chimneys, boilers and tubs have had to close down from lack of materials, and prices have risen alarmingly. It is clear, therefore, that patience will be necessary on the part of the intending builder, and he will have to be prepared for costs much higher than those ruling when he left the country. Consult the Rehabilitation Department before making any move either in building or in buying if you wish to avoid false hopes. Your Rehabilitation Officer will be able to give you a fairly accurate forecast of how long you must wait, and you can then plan accordingly.