TAXIS AND THE DOLE

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 288, 1 September 1931, Page 9

TAXIS AND THE DOLE

Many Lancashire Marriages WAKES WEEK IN OLDHAM (Rec, August 81, 7.30 p.m.). London, August 30. Of 200 couples married during Oldham wakes week, many are drawing the dole. They drove to the registry office In gaily-decorated taxis. Oldham’s wakes week is held in August of each year. The usual preliminary consists of a sudden increase in the number of marriages, and when the wakes begin the town goes on holiday for a week. In past years there has been a general exodus; for example, in 1928 no fewer than 50,000 of Oldham’s 150,000 inhabitants left the district. The wakes are little affected by the depression in the cotton industry, on which Oldham is almost exclusively dependent, so strong is the force of habit maintained by successive generations in this Lancashire centre. The people save up all the year round for the holiday week, each mill having its own savings club and the money being collected by weekly subscriptions. It is no uncommon thing for a young married couple, childless and both at work, or a boy and his girl (who may go off together for the holidays) to have from £25 to £3O to spend between them. Every penny must be spent: that is almost a point of honour. The cable message gives an example of the working of the dole in Oldham. Another is provided in a recent issue of the “Crewe Chronicle,” which records the following dialogue between his Honour Judge Whitmore Richards and a defendant:—

Judge: How'much do you earn when you are working? Defendant: Thirty-five shillings a week. Judge: How much “dole” do you get? Defendant: Thirty-two shillings a week.

Judge: So if you are in employment von have to work six days for an extra 3/-? Defendant: That’s right. Judge: Therefore you would rather not work? Defendant: No. Judge; I don’t blame you!