QUESTION OF MANUFACTURE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 9122, 23 April 1915, Page 5

QUESTION OF MANUFACTURE.

LONDON, April 21. In the Hotipo of Commons Mr W. A. S. Hewins (Unionist) moved that it was urgently necessary, that munition manufacturing firms should bo controlled by «i unified administration in diroct touch with the firms. He .said that Mr Asquith's speech at' Newcastle was unfortunate in that the Premier appeared to think that there^ whs groat cause for contentment. The speech did not contain any vital suggestion for dealing with the situation. .Mr Lloyd George agreed to the motion, but' said that Mr Hewins took no account of the AVar Office's special difficulties. Hitherto it' had been estimated that the British Expeditionary Force would comprise six divisions. To-day that 1 force was more than sixfold greater'than .'the'estimate, yet it was adequately supplied and.•every man who had dropped out had -been replaced. This, the Chancellor of the . Ex-^ chequer declared, was one of the mosijj magnificent pieces of organisation ever. devised. .Ammunition had been esi-: pended on a scale never anticipated. As much was expended at Neuve Chapalle as in the whole, of the Boer War: The character'of their ammunition had boon changed in the middle of .the war. on expert advice. Tho -.system of subcontracts had been extended to embrace 1.3,000 firms. If the contracts. bad Herai kept to time there would have been no shortage. As a'lasi" resort the Government had taken over suitable works. If they "took the figure 20 as representing the amount of artillery ammunition 'manufactured in September, that figure had increased to 90 in October and-"November.-- 156 in December, 186 in January, 256 in February. Mid 388 in March. -Britain was also "assisting her Allies with explosives and other munitions... There were deficiencies in their ammunition system ivt the present moment, but the Government had to prepare a general war policy. ■".""'."'■':':' Mr Bonar Law said .that Mr Lloyd George's speech 'showed that he thoroughly realiswl the nature of the problonT. ' He criticised Mr Asquith's optimism.