UNEMPLOYMENT IN N.S.W.

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24743, 7 December 1945, Page 5

UNEMPLOYMENT IN N.S.W.

150,000 EMPLOYEES IDLE SYDNEY, December 6. More than 150,000 New South Wales workers have already lost their jobs and 250.000 more have been warned that they will be put off either to-day or to-morrow a"s a result of electricity and gas restrictions. The employers have issued a warning that while unemployment will amount swiftly to huge proportions as a result of the strikes, re-employment when a settlement is reached will be a slow process, except in the basic coal and steel industries, because of the shortage of raw materials. Subject to a means test, persons who lose their employment will be eligible for Federal unemployment benefits. Manufacturers said that if power rationing continued for more than a few days there would be no chocolates, cakes, or ice-cream for Christmas.

Hotel licensees have been warned that the breweries have only three days' supply of beer on hand. City stores and cafes will try to carry on with candles and the emergency lighting used during the recent Bunne'rong power strike.

Suggested Transfer of Arms Factories.—Mr C. Osborne asked the Prime MinisUr (Mr C. R. Attlee) in the House of Commons to-day if, because of the vulnerability of Britain to attack by atomic bombs, he would instruct the Defence Council to consider the possibility of transferring armament factories to the various Dominions, with a proportionately largescale transfer of population. Mr Attlee replied: "No, I fa%'our a. more positive approach to this problem."—London, December S.