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15
Unemp1oyment
I am indebted to the Manager of the Local Employment
Exchange for the following information in respect of the
year 1952:-
"The year opened with the unemployment position being
very similar to the previous year and a steady rise in
the figures was noted during the first quarter due mainly
to a falling off in demand for the Building Industry and
on the Women's side the increase was in the over 40 age
groups, mainly persons who had been employed in sedentary
occupations. The second quarter saw a general resumption
in labour requirements in Building and local factories
and the Distributive Trades although the unemployment
figures remained slightly above the previous year's corresponding
period.
After June, the labour position began to settle down
again and the Building Industry and local factories demands
fell off and there was some redundancy in certain
Light Engineering work, but this was partly offset by the
needs of new factories for young women and the unemployment
register mainly consisted of the higher age groups
and persons limited in their scope by physical disability
or age.
The final quarter began with a continuation of this
steadying in local requirements but a welcome increase in
the Building Industry demands and the gradual building up
of new factory staffs improved the position whilst the
approach of the Christmas season called for more workers
at the Post Office and the retail distributive trades.
Over the past few months, however, unemployment figures
have followed the national trend of increasing due
partly to the steadying effect of growing competition for
overseas markets and the decrease in imports of the Commonwealth
Countries, but there is sound reason for hoping
that the New Year will show a gradual but definite improvement,"
Open Air Recreational Amenities
I have again inserted in the schedule at the end of
the report a list of parks and open spaces, I have done
this because the excellent provision by the Local
Authority is important factor in the promotion of
health of body and mind of the inhabitants, provided full
use is made of the facilities.