UNEMPLOYMENT IN BRITAIN.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 293, 8 December 1923, Page 13

UNEMPLOYMENT IN BRITAIN.

MEASURES FOR RELIEF. I The Minister ot* Health and the Minister of Laicour have made statements with regard to plans wbicb have been drawn up in connection with the prospective unemployment in the coming winter months, says the number of "'Engineering' just recently to hand. From those it appears that a great deal of work is to he brought forward in connection with roads and bridges, both of these being directions which will also involve activity in the steel and engineering trades, and the cement and other industries. Dealing with the general steps which have been taken to stimulate industry. Sir Montague Barlow announced that the State export credit scheme still had £16.000.000 available for use. while in connection with the Trade Facilities Act guarantees had been given to the extent of £3u',000.000 out of £50,000,000. An additional £10,000,000 had been allotted to Lord St. David's Committee and the terms of grants re-drafted with beneficial results. Tbe total new expenditure involved under the schemes proposed amounted to about £50,000,000. The programme of relief works which involved about £27.000.000 had been extended to bring the total expenditure up to about £40.000,000. Under the latter many important road connections will be put through. Of the total sum about £14,000.000 will be spent in London and the neighbouring counties. The London and Hastings road will be completed; a new road is being built from Glasgow to Edinburgh, and it is probable that a new road from Manchester to Liverpool will also be taken in hand. The reconstruction of no less than 150 bridges is contemplated. Many of our roads pass over bridges which arc not up to modern requirements either as regards accommodation or strength. There is an ample field for useful work in this direction. The bridges are to be re-built in i steel or reinforced concrete, and though ■many of them will be of tbe lesser sizes the total materials involved will be considerable and the orders for these will be very welcome. A new steel bridge is planned across the Dee at Quecnsfcrry, to cost £100,000, and an entirely new bridge across the Tweed at a cost of about £200.000, while a two-mile road bridge costing in the neighbourhood of £1.000.000 is to be carried across the Tay. The orders for steel required for j these and other works will amount to about 21 millions sterling. The railways ! have planned a good many important works. These will involve on the London and North Eastern Railway an expenditure of £150.000 on the reconstruction of two swing bridges, and £15:5.000 on coal Staithes at Xorth Blyth. with many other smaller works. The Great Western Railway has also formulated a programme which involves new works to the cost of £4,500,000. The two companies between them have planned expenditure which will run to between ±•10,000,000 and £15,000.000. Tbe orders will include rolling stock, stores, reconstruction of tips, ami electrification of «c suburban lines on the north of London. The London Underground ■Railways, which have already received » grant of £6,000,000. are to" have this extended by another sum of equal X Uild <*r the Trade Facilities Act. •",600,000 is set aside under the same v_.* ™ nnectio " with shipbuilding; the Aorth Wales Power Company is receiving a guarantee up to £1.600,000, and -Messrs. Tata a guarantee of £1.000.000. Jt may be mentioned that the Government intends that all material and **orfc m connection with tlie forecoine Pants, etc., should be British, and Sir -Montague Barlow stated that it was prepared to take any steps necessary to Prevent the use of "dumped" products.