LABOUR IN BRITAIN

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19353, 5 September 1934, Page 7

LABOUR IN BRITAIN

INCREASED EMPLOYMENT. REVIVAL IN TRADE. TIIE POSITION ANALYSED. (Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Sept. 3. The Ministry of Labour estimates that on August 20 last there were about 10,170,000 insured persons a*red from 10 io 04 in employment in Britain. This was 34,000 more than a month before and 370,000 more Ilian a year before. The improvement in the employmenl figures is most, marked in the coal-mining industry and there is also some improvement in the building, woollen and worsted industries. In the shipbuilding and ship repairing industry and in the shipping services the improvement, recorded In previous months continued. In (be jute industry, following upon Iho termination of local holidays, there was a substantial reduction in the numbers registered as temporarily stopped. On Hie other band there was a further decline in employment in the tailoring, boot and shoe, cotton and molop vehicle industries. A' slight setback also occurred in the iron and steel, pottery and hosiery industries and in the distributive trades. On August 20 the numbers of unemployed persons on the registers of the employment exchanges in Britain were:— Wholly unemployed .. . 1,598,338 Temporarily stopped ... 450,841 Normally in casual employ ment 81,399 Total 2,130,578 Young People’s Position. This total was 10,318 more than the number on the registers on July 23, 1934, and 274,559 less than a year before. The net increase compared with a month ago was accounted for by unemployed boys and girls who had just left school. An increase in the number of boys and girls registering for employment ordinarily occurs t in July and 'August, but the number registering this year is higher than usual and has resulted in an increase of 31,088 in Hie number of unemployed boys and girls compared with the' previous month. On the oilier hand there was a decrease of 20,770 in the number of men and women on Hie registers compared with a month earlier. The total number of unemployed on August 20 comprised 1 ,(’>92,319 men, 08,715 boys, 33 1,003 women, and 43,941 girls. Unde. 1 llie provisions of the new Unemployment Act, which becomes operative to-day, the age of entry into unemployment insurance is brought down to the school-leaving age. Juveniles who obtain work will lie eligible for contributions, but they will not lie entitled to draw unemployment I benefits nnlil they are lf>.