The Labour Market

Horowhenua Chronicle, 30 October 1915, Page 3

T he Labour Market

In an article on the state of tlie labour .market in Judy, the "British. Board oi Trade Labour Gazette states :— A year having ©lapsed since tlie outbreak of hostilities it may be convenient to review briefly the effect oi the war upon the labour market during that period. The first shock ol war caused much uncertainty and some disorganisation of industry, and at the end of August the Trade Union percentage of unemployed had risen from 2.8 to,/.1. These disquieting conditions were/however, of short duration. By the end ot September a distinct improvement had been manifested, and by tho end oi November employment was at about the same level as that prevailing just before war.

Since Novoniber the demand ior labour has steadily increased, and the industries engaged in supplying the requirements of the Allied forces have fo' 1 ■months past been working at the highest pressure. Owing to the large numbo r of enlistments the number oi males available has greaily decreased. To meet this shortage of labour there has been a considerable transference from trades adversely affected by the war, to other industries which Avore rendered abnormally active. In addition there has been, wherever passible, a growng movement in the direction of substituting female for male labour. The net result is that at the present time there is very little unemployment except in a few luxury trades, while in a number of industries, notably coal mining, engineering, shipbuilding, agriculture, and tjransport, the demand for labour greatly exceeds tho supply.

Partly owing to this great improvement in employment and partly to the rise in the cost of living, nearly two and a half million workpeople have had since August last in rates of wages or war bonuses, amounting to over £40,000 per week, or over 8s per head of those benefiting. These figures are exclusive of increases wfiich' have beeu granted to agricultural labourers ,seamon, railway servants, police, and Government employees. They also ex elude increased earnings owing to overtime.