H—llA

National Service Department during the war years, and this very satisfactory arrangement has been continued up to the present. The Department is indebted to the Y.W.C.A. for its continued co-operation and for the most efficient manner in which the .administration of these two hostels has been carried out.

24. The capacity of the various hostels and camps already operating as at .31st March, 1947, is set out as follows :

SECTION V.—EMPLOYMENT PROMOTION 25. Owing to the general high level of employment and the number of vacancies throughout industry, only one employment promotion scheme (Scheme 13) has been in operation during the past twelve months. This scheme has been used mainly to retain in useful work a small number of men who for various reasons, such as failing health, .advancing age, &c., would be unable to obtain ordinary employment if the employer was required to pay full wages. 26. On the 31st March, 1947, there were 280 men employed under the scheme, as compared with 372 on the 31st March, 1946. The majority of the men employed were fit for light work only, although there were a few fit men for whom suitable local employment was not available and who could not reasonably be expected to accept work in other districts owing to their domestic circumstances. The payment of a subsidy on the wages of such men enables them to remain in useful employment in preference to .becoming a total charge on the State. 27. All men employed under the scheme are registered for employment, and every ■ effort is made to place them in suitable private employment as opportunity offers. While they remain under the scheme they are subject to constant supervision and their wages are subsidized to bring their earnings up to the award rate for the type of work performed. They are allocated to different local bodies, charitable institutions, &c., . and are engaged on such work as vegetable production, maintenance of parks and reserves, school grounds, harbour improvements, lime production, tramways, afforestation, and soil conservation. 28. The following analysis of the 280 men employed on the scheme at the 31st March, 1947, shows that 58*4 per cent, of the total were over fifty years of age : Years. Percentage. Years. Percentage. 32:: :: :: lII>--«■ »•« 50-54 .. .. .. 15-6 55-59.. .. .. 23-8 50-60 and over.. .. 58-4 60 and over .. .. 19 • 0 j 100-0 100-0

7

Auckland District. Capacity. Wellington District. Capacity. Waikaraka Park Camp 300 Petone Camp, Petone 1 420 Mangere Camp 111 Hataitai Camp, Wellington j 220 Home Aid Hostel 10 Winter Show Camp, Wellington .. 220 Woburn Hostel, Lower Hutt 260 Orient Hostel, Wellington 80 Public Service Girls' Hostel, Welling55 ton Public Service Boys' Hostel, Welling98 ton