FINDING EMPLOYMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15767, 16 November 1914, Page 4

FINDING EMPLOYMENT.

WHAT ENGLAND IS DOING. 4 ,

FACING THE FACTS.

The British Parliament has sanctioned the expenditure of several millions sterling to provide employment wherein industry has been dislocated by reason of the war. Valuable assistance is also being given by the Road Board and by the Development Commissioners.

The Government have recommended that the local authority should at once prepare a scheme of work should it appear that exceptional distress from want of employment is likely to arise in their area. The information in the possession of the Local Government Board indicates that the local authorities have responded with readiness to the suggestions made by the Government. It has ■ been ascertained that during the period between August 4 and September 21 over 600 applications have been made by local authorities in England and Wales—not being poor law authorities—for sanction to the borrowing of money with which to defray the cost of some scheme adopted by the local authority.

The total amount of the loans desired exceeded £2,500,000. Of these applications 45 related to loans for the erection of dwcllinghouses for the working classes at a total cost of £512,000. The Local Government Board have also taken special steps to expedite the consideration of applications for their sanction to loans. During the period between August 4 and September 21 the board have sanctioned loans desired by local authorities in England and Wales, other than poor law authorities, to the extent of over 500,000, as compared with about £1,928,000 sanctioned during the corresponding period of 1913. The increase thus shown exceeds 80 per cent. Included in the sum of £3,500.000 were loans to the extent of £332,000 in respect of the cost of schemes prepared by 60 local authorities for the erection of dwellinghouses for the working classes. The Road Board are also rendering valuable assistance to the local authorities of areas in which exceptional distress from want of employment exists. Three large schemes tor the construction of new roads, including the new western approach road to London, had been arranged with the local authorities before the outbreak of war. These schemes will be put in hand at an early date. The Development Commissioners have also under consideration some schemes relating to the construction of light railways, the improvement of the navigation of rivers, and other works in order that work of this character may be ready in case a reed for providing further employment should arise. In connection with unemployment among women, it is well known that a number of trades in which women are usually employed have suffered severely as a result of the war. The ques. tion of dealing with this problem has been remitted to the central committee on women's employment, and a special fund inaugurated by Her Majesty the Queen has beet raised. The amount exceeds £60.000, and is being utilised in establishing workrooms, in training women and girls, and in experiments in the creation of new industries.

The setting up of a Government printing establishment on a limited scale is recommended by the Select Committee on Publications. After discussing the subject in detail, the committee recommend a small printing establishment under the stationery office, which could always be kept full of work. While the development of the full establishment should be gradual, it should De capable of dealing from the first with a satisfactory unit of the work which it undertook, rather than beginning by a multiplicity of work of various kinds,