BRIGHTER OUTLOOK

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 72, 24 February 1937, Page 9

BRIGHTER OUTLOOK

EMPLOYMENT AT HOME. SURPLUS IN FUND. CONCESSIONS PROPOSED. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) Received February 24, 11.40 a.m. RUGBY, Feb. 23. The annual report of the Unemployment Insurance Statutory Committee states that the improvement in employment in 1936 and its anticipated continuance in the present year will give the unemployment fund a disposaole surplus in 1936-37 of £17,250,u00, which is a much larger figure than had been expected. Concessions for the disposal of this sum suggested by the committee are for the next eight years, firstly, a reduction as, at April, 1937, irom six days to three of the waiting time for which no benefit is paid at the beginning of the continuous period of unemployment and, secondly, an increase in the number of additional days of benefit that can be drawn by men who have worked regularly during the past five years while drawing relatively little in benefit. From November, 1935, to November, 1936, there was a fall in the unemployment percentage in every industry except eight. These eight industries accounted in November, 1936, for Jess than 3 per cent, of the total unemployment. The Government has adopted these recommendations. Sir William Beveridge, the chairman of the committee, explained that the effect of the concessions would be to reduce by 16,000 a week the number of people obtaining public assistance. MORE AT WORK. LONDON, Feb. 23. Because unemployment has been reduced, thus saving dole payments, beside bringing in more contributions from increased workers, the Government’s unemployed insurance fund now holds unexpected reserves amounting to £38,977,280, from which it is proposed to devote £17.250,000 in concessions to the unemployed during the next eight years.