The Unemployment See-saw Whilst the numbers of unemployed on the
registers according to the latest returns were about 10.000 in excess of last month, there is an improvement in the figures of employment of 34.000. The large discrepancy is due to the foreseen fact that there is an unusually big increase in the number of children who have recently left school—and that will continue to be a disturbing factor owing to the Government's refusal to raise the school-leaving age. Putting this aside, there was an improvement last month which may be set against the set-back of the preceding month. The indications are that we have now reached, or nearly reached, the limits of recovery so far as that can be attained by trades catering for the borne market alone. It is likely that further improyement on a large scale will only become possible when foreign markets can absorb more of our exports— unless, of .course, special constructive measures are undertaken with the specific object of increasing produc- tion and employment. The Government at present does not appear to contemplate any such measures.
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