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24
been consultation, I am altering it to "employment,"
because undoubtedly the present trend is for increased
emphasis to be made upon employment rather than
unemployment As a matter of fact, unemployment
in Barking in 1945 was practically non-existent
On the termination of hostilities there was a small
increase in the number of persons without employment,
chiefly amongst persons who were changing their
employment from war to civilian production. On the
10th December 1945, there were, however, only 118
insured persons without employment registered at the
Barking Employment Exchange.
The demand for labour has been greatly in excess
of the supply but the importation of labour from other
regions has not been possible, except in small numbers,
owing to the difficulty in securing lodging accommodation
in this and adjacent areas.
A marked feature of industry during the war years
has been the services rendered by married women,
who were called upon to assist in the national effort.
During the latter part of 1945, there was a visible
tendency for married women to leave industry, due no
doubt to increasing domestic responsibilities
consequent upon the return of evacuee children and
men returning home from the Forces.
During the year, work was commenced at a site in
Thames Road on the erection of a new Government
Training Centre for training building trade workers.
This Centre will be completed during 1946 and will
provide for about 600 trainees at a time.