["Unemployed in Australia", The Western Mail (Perth, WA), Friday 17 July 1914, page 54]
UNEMPLOYED IN AUSTRALIA.
According to the quarterly Labour Bulletin issued by the Commonwealth Statistician, unemployment showed an increase in Western Australia, New South Wales, and Queensland for the March quarter of this year as compared with the preceding three months, while as compared with the March quarter of 1813 there was an in crease in this State and Tasmania. The relatively large increase in Western Australia is attributed by Mr. Knibbs to larger numbers reported as unemployed in the mining industry and the clothing trades. Figures supplied by 462 unions, membership 262,133, showing unemployment and percentages for the March quarter, and percentages for the December and March quarters of last year are as follow:--
Mch. Dec. Mch.
qr., qr., qr.,
1914 1913 1913
No. p.c. p.c. p.c.
Western Australia 1,891 8.2 4.7 5.0
New South Wales 7,425 6.4 4.5 6.5
Victoria 4,150 4.9 5.8 7.0
Queensland 854 5.7 4.4 6.5
South Australia 991 5.4 8.7 5.5
Tasmania 230 3.7 4.9 3.2
----- --- --- ---
Australia 15,541 5.9 5.3 6.4
Particulars as to causes of unemployment were received from 452 unions having a membership of 241,979. Of those 10,941 were men unemployed through lack of work, 2,152 through sickness and accident, and 790 through other causes (except persons on strike or lock out). The figures for each State were as follow, (1) signifying lack of work, (2) sickness and accident, and (3) other causes:--
CAUSES OF UNEMPLOYMENT, MARCH QUARTER, 1914.
(1) (2) (3) Total.
No. P.c. No. P.c. No. P.c. No. P.c.
W. Australia 1,348 5.9 358 1.6 185 0.7 1,891 8.2
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