XN000022-1983-06-08 — Page 16

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 1983

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LES RECEIVES 12 000 JOB OFFERINGS

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LAST MONTH EMPLOYERS NOTIFIED MORE THAN 12 000 VACANCIES TO THE LOCAL EMPLOYMENT SERVICE (LES) OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT, REPRESENTING AN 80 PER CENT INCREASE OVER APRIL AND 63 PER CENT OVER MAY OF 1982. THE FIGURE INCLUDED 4 530 TEMPORARY SUMMER JOBS.

THIS WAS REVEALED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, THE HON NEIL HENDERSON IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WHEN ANSWERING A QUESTION FROM THE REV THE HON JOYCE BENNETT, WHO ASKED IF THERE HAD BEEN ANY INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF SECONDARY SCHOOL LEAVERS SEEKING ASSISTANCE FROM THE LES AND WHAT ARRANGEMENTS HAD BEEN MADE TO HELP THE STUDENTS IN FINDING SUITABLE JOBS.

MR HENDERSON AGAIN APPEALED TO EMPLOYERS TO MAKE MORE USE OF THE FREE SERVICE PROVIDED BY THE LES BY INFORMING THEM OF VACANCIES.

MEANWHILE AS IN PREVIOUS YEARS, THE LES EMPLOYED TEMPORARY CLERICAL STAFF TO COPE WITH THE SEASONAL INCREASE OF JOB-SEEKERS.

THIS YEAR A TOTAL OF 26 TEMPORARY CLERKS WOULD BE EMPLOYED, OF WHOM 18 WERE ALREADY IN POST AND A FURTHER EIGHT WOULD START NEXT MONTH, MR HENDERSON SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT EVERY YEAR, AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION EXAMINATION, USUALLY IN THE LATTER HALF OF MAY, THERE WAS AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 50 PER CENT IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE REGISTERING WITH THE LES FOR EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE FOR ABOUT FOUR MONTHS.

NOT UNEXPECTEDLY, THE MAJORITY OF THESE REGISTRANTS WERE FRESH SCHOOL LEAVERS LOOKING FOR JOBS, EITHER PERMANENT OR TEMPORARY, HE SAID.

FOLLOWING THE USUAL PATTERNS OF THE PAST FEW YEARS, THE NUMBER OF REGISTRATIONS IN MAY THIS YEAR WAS 56 PER CENT MORE THAN IN APRIL BUT SHOWED A SLIGHT DECREASE OF FIVE PER CENT OVER MAY 1982.

ASSURING THE COUNCIL THAT THE LES WOULD TRY ITS BEST TO HELP REGISTRANTS FIND SUITABLE EMPLOYMENT. MR HENDERSON STRESSED THAT T LES ONLY ACTED AS A MIDDLEMAN AND THAT IT COULD NOT CREATE JOBS BY ITSELF.

ADVANTAGE SEEN IN OVERHEAD TRAFFIC SIGNALS

A REPORT ON A TEST OF OVERHEAD TRAFFIC LIGHT SIGNALS HAS RECOMMENDED THAT SUCH SIGNALS SHOULD BE USED TO COMPLEMENT, RATHER THAN REPLACE THE POLE-MOUNTED SIGNALS WHICH MOTORISTS EXPECT TO SEE, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON ALAN SCOTT, SAID TODAY.

THE REPORT, WHICH WAS COMPLETED BY THE TRAFFIC CONTROL AND SURVEILLANCE DIVISION IN DECEMBER LAST YEAR, ALSO CONCLUDED THAT OVERHEAD SIGNALS USED WITH A DARK BACKING BOARD HAD SOME ADVANTAGE OVER POLE-MOUNTED SIGNALS IN TERMS OF VISIBILITY, AND COULD BE USEFUL ON ROADS WHERE THE SPEED OF VEHICLES IS RELATIVELY HIGH, HE SAID.