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6
It is "becoming harder to place people who have
poor records of employment or who have no trade or
little useful experience at their command.
More time and effort has to be spent by employment
officers in finding suitable jobs for applicants.
The ratio of unfilled vacancies to unemployed
workers has fallen during the year from 1.8 to .8.
Workers in many cases are now having to travel
further afield for employment.
Employers' order books are not so full for such
long periods ahead as has been the case in recent
years.
There has been a gradual rise in unemployment
during the year.
With regard to the unemployment situation, there were
at the end of 1958, 515 men and 95 women out of work compared
with 380 and 89 respectively at the end of 1957. The
figure for December, 1958, represents .68% of the insured
population in the Kingston area and despite the increase
over the previous year compares very favourably with the
national percentage of 2.5. Local unemployment has risen
very much more slowly than in the rest of the country.
The aircraft industry has been busy throughout the
year and the labour force has increased by some 32%.
Workers have been brought from beyond daily travelling
distance and many of these have qualified for the receipt
of travelling and lodging allowances paid by the Ministry
of Labour. There has been difficulty in finding accommodation
for these transferred workers and the cost of
lodgings has averaged about £4. 4. Od per week.
In the newer fields of electronics and plastics the
area is fortunate in having a variety of these developing
industries which during 1958 maintained a high level of
employment.
Employment in the Distributive Trades during 1958
has been good because Kingston continues to be the major
shopping town for this part of Surrey.
Efforts to resettle members of H.M. Forces who are
retiring both prematurely and normally were intensified.
The co-operation of employers in providing employment
opportunities for these men and women has been sought in
a special appeal made by Lord de Lisle and Dudley in his
capacity as Chairman of the London and South-Eastern
Resettlement Board.
The year 1958 has, on the whole, been quite good for
Kingston in so far as employment is concerned, particularly
when the picture is looked at as part of the wider national
canvas. If the year concluded with a stronger feeling of
caution and perhaps some apprehension it is but a reflection
of the general economic situation which, it is hoped,
may improve during 1959•"