BRITISH EMPLOYED

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 100, 30 April 1938, Page 14

BRITISH EMPLOYED

DECLINE IN COAL AND IRON

Statistics recently issued by the British Ministry of Labour show that the number of unemployed on March 14 last was 01,440 few.^r than on Fetr-aary 14, while the number in employment was 56,000 more.

On March 14 the number of unemployed persons registered was: Wholly unemployed,. 1,350,121; temporarily stopped, 331,247; normally casually employed, 67,613; total, 1,748,981.

This total was about 202,000 more than 12 months ago.

The number of insured persons in employment on March liaLas approximately 11,380,000, about|M,ooo more than the total for the Ipftesponding date last year. Improvement .in employment took plac» in building and public works contracting, agriculture, tailoring and dressmaking, motor vehicle, cycle, and aircraft industries, shipbuilding and ship repairing, distributive trades, and hotel and boarding-house service. ■Employment declined in coal mining, the iron and steel industry, metal goods manufacture, and most of the textile trades.

A curious feature of the returns is that the number of wholly unemployed has been falling since the star.t of the "recession" during the late summer of last year.

Statistics show that in every month since last October the number of wholly unemployed men has been lower than for the corresponding month in the previous year. In other words, the increase has been among men temporarily stopped—men who expect to return to their jobs. Other deductions drawn from this month's figures are that: v

Exceptionally good weather has speeded up recovery in seasonal outdoor occupations.

Recovery in the motor industry is lagging and is reflected in subsidiary trades.

The decline in general .engineering has been largely due to temporary stoppages. Export trades are feeling the effects of the international situation.

It is also shown that unemployment is down in every area except Wales.