19 APRIL 1935, Page 6

The latest Ministry of Labour figures shoiVed that one of

the largest increases in employment was in the building trade. The improvement is no doubt largely seasonal, but it is a good deal better than in recent years. A builder in a rural district in the home counties tells me that in that region he has never.known so much work in hand, nor labour so hard to get; since 1920. In the local paper bricklayers were actually being advertised for at is. 9d. an hour, the standard trade union rate in the area being is.