H—ll

Employment Committee representative of the Maori Affairs Department, Education Department, Department of Industries and Commerce, Ministry of Works, State Forest Service, and this Department. (3) The broad function of the Committee is to determine practical measures for ensuring the continuing absorption of the Maori race into full employment. As a means to this end, liaison has been arranged between Maori Welfare Officers of the Maori Affairs Department, Vocational Guidance Officers of the Education Department, and District Officers of this Department to assist in arranging suitable employment for Maori school leavers. (4) The Committee is now considering other possible ways of promoting the availability of employment opportunities in areas of Maori population as well as of expanding the employment opportunities for Maori labour in the community at large. (e) Employment Advisory Committees (1) The Employment Act, 1945, provides for the establishment of Advisory Councils and Committees to assist the Department in the effective administration of its employment service. Through these Councils and Committees the Department is able to secure the co-operation of workers' and employers' organizations in dealing with the employment problems of important industries. (2) Permanently constituted local Employment Advisory Committees consisting of workers' and employers' representatives under the chairmanship of the District Superintendent or District Officer were set up in some industries in the previous financial year, and over the twelve months under review the number of Committees has been further extended. Where appropriate, representatives of other Government Departments have been co-opted as members of these Committees. National Employment Committees similarly constituted on a national basis and under the chairmanship of the Director of Employment have also been set up in some industries. (3) District Employment Committees are now functioning in the following industries : Baking. Footwear. Building. Freezing. Clothing. Furniture. Engineering. Laundries. Motor trades. Printing trades. Boad transport. Tramways. (4) In addition, National Employment Committees have been set up in the clothing,, freezing, and tramways industries. These Committees maintain a standing liaison between the Department and the industries concerned, and the advice and assistance of their members have proved of value over a wide range of topics. Section 2.—lmmigration (a) Present Scope and Organization (1) Government-assisted immigration recommenced in July, 1947, with the introduction of free and assisted passage schemes under which financial aid is extended to certain categories of intending immigrants. Eligibility under the schemes has been confined to single residents of the United Kingdom (without dependents) between the ages of twenty and thirty-five years who are suitable for and willing to accept employment in certain selected occupations. Free passages are provided for those successful applicants who served in the United Kingdom Armed Forces (including Merchant Navy) during World War 11, and all others selected are required to contribute only £lO towards the cost of their fares. All assisted immigrants enter into a contract

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