LESS UNEMPLOYED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21859, 23 July 1934, Page 14

LESS UNEMPLOYED

DROP IN AUSTRALIA ENCOURAGING FIGURES [from our own correspondent] SYDNEY. July 14 The most satisfying feature of Australia's gradual recovery from the depression lias been the increase in building activities in practically all the States during the last six months. This has been particularly notieenblo in Sydney. Many business linns have shown their confidence in the outlook by extending their premises or by building now structures. One of the great departmental stores, with shrewd business men in command, has just spent thousands of pounds in modernising tho establishment. For more than two years practically no new dwellings wero erected in tho Sydney metropolitan area, but now there is a different and brighter tale to toll. Now houses are going up in every direction. Tho general increase in building activity has been largely responsible for tho largo decrease in unemployment throughout Australia. Since tho Lyons Government took office in 10-32 unemployment in Australia has been reduced 9.1 per cent. Tho percentage of unemployment in the second quarter of 19154 was 20.9, which compared with 28.-') per cent when the present Government was sworn in, and 30 per cent for tho second quarter of 1932. Tho present figure is tho lowest since tho third quarter of 1930, whon it was 20.5 per cent. Industrial groups showing the greatest improvement per 1000 since tho unemployment peak of 1932 were.—Manufacturing (undefined), 183; building. 139; clothing, hats and boots, 101; engineering and metal workers, 87; mines and quarries, 59. There aro. now registered at labour bureaus in Victoria 38,850 men, against 49,400 this timo last year. This decrease of nearly 10,000 names is accounted for by an all-round increase in business. Government schemes have not absorbed them. At present in Victoria thero are only 4100 employed on full daily time on public relief works, compared with 12,500 on that class of work at tho end of last financial year. A big increase in the number of men on public works is expected in tho near future.