GREAT INCREASE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 223, 28 June 1940, Page 5

GREAT INCREASE

SUPPLY OUTPUT IN BRITAIN. NEAR POINT OF SATISFACTION. MAGNIFICENT RESPONSE. (United Press Association.—Copyright.) (Received This Day, 11 a.m.) LONDON, June 27. The Minister of Supply (Mr W. S. Morrison) said in the Commons that the situation regarding supply was daily coming nearer the poihtbf satisfaction. He gave percentages indicating the increases in the monthly rate of production in Juno over April. The increase in the output .of cruisers and infantry tanks in June, compared with April, was 115 per cent—more than double. The increase in carriers is 64 per cent. Coming to a wide range of guns, the increase varies from about 50 per cent, for two items, to as much as 228 per cent, for another. Small arms show increases ranging from 40 and 186 per ceiiL, Ammunition of various kinds shows an increase in June, coni pared with April, ranging from between 35 and 420 per cent.

Giving another example of the spurt in production, the Minister said: “On June 19, only a week ago, I gave orders for very large quantities—millions —of a certain weapon.' Already the output has reached nearly 250,000 a week—between four and five times the previous production. That output will grow.” These results, Mr Morrison - said> were due to the magnificent response of the work people and managements to the Government’s appeal, hut also to the news from Franco of Hitler’s successes. On the policy of his department, the Minister pointed out that in many cases where, in his judgment, fundamental reorganisation of production was necessary it was not possible to undertake it without endangering tinuity of output. In two cases, however, ‘ fundamental reorganisation had been effected, namely, for tanks and for machine tools. He explained the principles of simplification of design • and concentration of output on which, at the desire of Mr Eden and himself, the new Tank Board was working. Turning to the situation in regard to raw materials, Mr Morrison said it could broadly be described as satisfactory. Big orders had recently been placed in America and elsewhere. He had given instructions that it was better to be on the safe side and have too much rather than too little, for they had to face the possibility of a siege.—British Official Wireless.