OUT OF WORK

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 189, 12 August 1931, Page 11

OUT OF WORK

UNEMPLOYED IN AUSTRALIA TREBLED SINCE 1929 SYDNEY, July 30. It came as a shock, even to Australians, to learn the other day that in two years the number of unemployed had been trebled. The rate *at the beginning of 1929 was 9.3 per cent.; now it is 27.5 per rent. These figures refer only to the trade unions that forward their returns, as required by statute. Actually, they are based on a union membership of 430.000. Some important occupations, such as railways, ‘he Public Service, and industries where ft w j , loyment is purely casual at the r—Ac ot lunes are not included. It is estimated that the total number of employees in the Commonwealth is 2.000.000. The total number of unemployed in all States to-day would not be less than 500.000. “It is not possible to make any confident estimate of the total number of unemployed.” said Professor Giblin, the Acting-Federal Statistician, “owing to the time that has elapsed since taking the last Census. It may be guessed, roughly, that the percentage of the whole population is possibly about 5 per cent, less than the trade union figures, which, however, give a good reflex of unemployment in normal 1 times, and even in the present abnormal conditions they probably give a

> tair indication of how unemployment lis increasing. The increase was slow I up to the first quarter of 1930, but it was nearly doubled in the next If months. • “There is little difference betweer i the States, except that the percentage ; for Queensland, with its s‘ ble sugar I industry, is about one-half the percen rage for the rest of Australia. Th( more sheltered industries, which an supplying ordinary consumption, an the least affected. These are printing food, and drink manufacture, lane transport and retailing, which have ar average unemployment index of 20 pei cent. Building, on the other hand, anc mining, and all manufactures exeep food and drink average more than 3( per cent. The highest percentage ii reached by other manufactures, whicl rose from 42 to 44 per cent, in om quarter. There is more unemployment ir South Australia than in any other State but New South Wales is rapidly catching up, and it seems only a matter oi a few months, unless conditions are al tprod, when it will assume the lead It is already a long way ahead of Vic- ■ toria, but that is not surprising, a: Victorian industry has not been ham pored by Langism. New South Wales manufacturers find that the unoqua' competition is too much for them.