ARMS OUTPUT

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 59, 10 March 1944, Page 5

ARMS OUTPUT

BRITISH EFFORT

Big Production Problems This Year British Official Wireless Rec. 1.30 p.m. RUGBY, Mar. 9. Giving details of the British armaments programme, the Minister of Production, Mr. Lyttelton, said in the last six months the output per head per month of the aircraft industry had increased by 2 per cent. In 1944, said Mr. Lyttelton, there would be more transfers of labour.

The outstanding problem m 1044 was to maintain the present high level of production and in some directions increase it despite the necessity of calling up deferred men in industries for "the armed forces. There would be frequent and sometimes sudden adjustments throughout the munition industries to meet the chances and phases of military operations. Recent successes in the Battle of Berlin had been due not only to the growing strength of the bomber fleets, but the amazing secret devices which enabled the bombers to go out in all weathers and hit targets with precision. There had been a large-scale movement of work people. Despite this the number of workers transferred from one place to another had been kept to a minimum. At the end of the year the total registered unemployed for a month or so as a direct consequence of programme changes was under 600.

"There are no longer untapped resources of manpower, and it is only by withdrawing manpower from the munitions industries and to a small extent civilian industries we can meet additional requirements," he added. "We will be faced with an exceedingly difficult transport situation. We cannot convert the country into a base and a line of communication for extensive military operations without considerable interference with normal transport. The situation is serious, and will grow greater rather than less.

"There are also the requirements for the Japanese war, mainly special devices and equipment for tropical jungle conditions, for which there must be increased production. There is a considerable programme of building for the longer term needs of the Pacific war and an ever-growing volume of conversion and repair. There will be virtually no cuts in naval construction."