Til Swipe from the Economist 5 /10/63 cS 172 Conmsiderablo changes in the structure of exaployment took place in FS m during the fifties. In agriculture and forestry the mimber of employees decreased by 30%, whereas industry and trade increased their employment by some 15% and services and construction by 20%. These changes have brought about a migration of population which ha® created very serious problems for the depopulated regions, mainly located in the North. Contrary to the general belief it is not Sweden's big cities which have mainly absorbed these workers on the move, ‘So far as manufacturing is concerned tho share of tho big cities has gone down owing to the fact that many firms have moved to anall towns, Quite a wide range of ; areas in the middle and southern parts of Sweden have had a marked increaso in the mumber of people employed in manufacturing. When the population falls below a certain level it ceases to be possible to maintain schools and public services to reasonable standards; this in turn accelerates the migration and within a short period of time almost depopulates whole areas.
In order to prevent such developments a government committes was set up in 1959 and this committee has rscently published its almost unanimous report, In summary, the recommondations are for far-reaching economic help by the States The total subsidies suggested can be roughly estimated at 800 million Kronor (approx. £55 Million) over a five-year period, apart from other measures,
Tho largest part of this 800 million Kronor would be intended for credit guarantees, Another 175 million Kronor, the committees suggests, should Make up a State loan fund to which industry and trade could apply for credits, This is the only major point on which the committees disagreed. One of its members folt that examination of the loan applications as wellas the exiension and super vision of the credits should be entrusted to existing credit institutions, which he felt could handle this more efficiently and inexponsively than a State fund. The remaining 150 million Kronor would be used for construction or purchase of Puildingsascesssens