EVER RISING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 221, 18 September 1930, Page 7

EVER RISING.

TIDE OF UNEMPLOYED

Ease of Obtaining Dole Swells

Ranks of Idle.

BLEAK WINTER PROSPECT.

(United P.A.—Electric Telegraph—Copyright)

LONDON, September 17.

The increase of 79,127 during the last week in Britain's unemployed, which occurred mainly in the north of England, represents.further depression in the coal, metal and textile industries. The south-west of England, actually showed a decrease in unemployment. :

In the 16 months during which the Labour Government has been in power the figures have increased, by about 1,000,000. Some of the increase is due to the. new Act which has been in. operation since March, which, makes the receipt of benefit easier.

The prospect for the coming winter is regarded, as black. ■

Mr. John Bromley, M.P. (Lab., Barrow-in-Furness), at the recent conference of the Trade Union Congress prophesied that the unemployed in Britain would total 4,000,000 by February.

The position of the unemployment insurance fund is occupying the attention of the Government as the premiums are not sufficient to carry the present benefits, and the fund is nearly £60,000,000 in debt. Apparently there are only two courses open—either to raise the premiums or to reduce the benefits.

The railway companies are cutting down their staffs as much as' possible owing to the heavy decline in traffic.

The conversations between Labour-and Liberal representatives on. the unemployment problem were resumed in London yesterday. Mr. Ternon Hartohorn, Lord Privy Seal, and Mr. Lees Smith, Post-master-General, represented the Government, and the Marquess of Lothian and Mr. B. Seebohm Rowntree, a member of the executive . committee of the Liberal Summer' School Industrial Inquiry, the Liberals. , • .