Fewer New Zealanders collecting jobless benefits

The number of New Zealanders collecting unemployment benefit last month fell to its lowest in more than two years, the government announced Thursday. Social Development Minister Paula Bennett said the number of people on benefits remained high at 55,661, but more than 6,700 people cancelled their benefits because they found jobs in September. "While total benefit numbers remain high, the Unemployment Benefit is now at its lowest since July 2009," said Bennett. Last month more than 4,000 people went off the Unemployment Benefit, into jobs and more than 2,200 young people left welfare for work. "In the month of September, we saw 351 fewer young people on the Unemployment Benefit," said Bennett. The overall number of people on welfare rose by less than 0.1 percent, or 141 people, in September to 328,496.