GOING TO WORK

Taranaki Daily News, 22 August 1931, Page 11

GOING TO WORK

BRITAIN’S UNEMPLOYED. Since the beginning of February 250,000 unemployed men and women in Great Britain have gone back to work, says an English paper. This does not mean that the ranks of the unemployed have fallen by a quarter of a million, but it does mean, with the conspicuous exception of the mining industry, where the introduction of- quota production has been followed by an increase of 84,000 unemployed miners, that practically every vital industry in the country is responding to the magic touch of the growing confidence that is to restore national prosperity. The revival began early in February,' .and during February and March 200,000 people went back to work. More than 50,000 were reabsorbed in April. " The Ministry of Labour figures show that this is not wholly a seasonal reaction. - x The building trade took back 37,983 men in February and March. This figure is 10,000 higher than last year, which proves that the banks, the ’building societies and the, business men of the country are preparing. in advance to house all the new machinery of industry which is being prepared for the epoch of- prosperity'. Some seasonal occupations have affected the’ unemployment figures. The. herring fishing, for -example, has opened;" and there are no unemployed fishermen. Three thousand waiters and waitresses :have gone back to hotels and boarding houses, and another 2500. unemployed .have been absorbed by road transport.. The cheering factor in the situation,, however, is the splendid revival income of the basic industries. , ./ The following figures for February ; and March indicate the extent to which the unemployed were returning to works Tailoring; 16,051 . Silk .: ~ 5,479 Iron and steel 13,725 Cotton 61.225 Linen 13,757 ‘ Woollen '10,003 Tin Plates ■' 7,853 Dress and millinery 5,126 Dyeing and bleaching 2,7887 Boots and shoes 8,097 ' Pottery 8,720 Distribution 8,156 Shirts and underclothing .. ' 3,500 Linoleum 2,658 Furniture ; 2,902 Apart from mining, the only industry which has had a set-back- in the past three months is shipbuilding, with a reduction of 12,000 in February* and March.