View report page

10
Social Conditions.
A gratifying reduction in the unemployment figures has
occurred in the past year. New industrial undertakings do not
always increase employment to the extent we hope at their
commencement. Often moreover, it is found that the great
proportion of the workers engaged are drawn from young
persons and the services of these are dispensed with upon their
attaining the adult scale of pay. The increase of employment
during the past year, however, has occurred mainly in tlhe adult
male group. It is to be hoped that absorption will continue
and be permanent.

The work of the Fellowship Centre lhas increased in value
and amount each year since its inception in July, 1933. Owing
to the increased demand for instruction in the crafts of bootmaking
and woodwork provision for more classes has been
necessary. The social value of this work has been alluded to
before and amply justifies mention here.
Our tram services have been superseded by trolley buses
during the year and while scientific and medical opinion does
not appear to regard noise as being of very great importance in
its effect upon health, those of us who work day by day close
to the route are nevertheless grateful for its diminution.
Population.
The estimate of the Registrar General of the population for
Midyear, 1935, was 35,760, an increase of 740 over that of the
corresponding date for 1934. This is the highest population yet
recorded for the district. It appears that this increase is largely
due to the influx into the district of a residential type of population,
and from the continued activity of building in the area
this increase does not yet seem to have reached its limit.
Births.
The Birth Rate has increased from 13.73 last year—the
lowest recorded—to 14.4 this year, while the total number of
births has increased from 469 to 525. The total illegitimate
births numbered 18.