BRITAIN'S IDLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 1, 2 January 1937, Page 9

BRITAIN'S IDLE.

Bad Weather Causes Rise in Unemployment. UNBEASONAL CHANGE. British Official Wirelew. (Received 12 noon.) RUGBY, January 1. The Ministry of Labour estimates that at December 14 the number of insured persons in employment in Britain, exclusive of agricultural workers, was approximately 11,132,000, or 12,000 more than a month before and 503,000 more than a year before. At the same date the number of registered unemployed was . 1,628,719, .comprising 1365,035 wholly unemployed, 104,841 temporarily laid off, and 08,843 normally in casual employment. The total was 5117 more than at November 23, but 239,846 less than a year ago. Unemployment usually shows a reduction in December, and the slight increase this year is largely due to effect* of _bad weather on building—in which 25,745 more men were idle than in November—and other outdoor occupations. The increase is also attributable to extension of insurance to agricultural workers, many of whom would not have registered in previous years during short spells of unemployment. The number so recorded rose by 8000. In 43 per cent of the 1,400,168 applying for unemployment allowance, the last spell of registered employment had lasted less than six weeks, and in 69 per | cent less than six months.