BIG U.S ORDER FOR TRACTORS

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25391, 14 January 1948, Page 7

BIG U.S ORDER FOR TRACTORS

SUPPLY BY BRITISH FIRM PROGRESS OF STEEL AND , EXPORT DRIVES f (N.Z.P.A. —Reuter—Copyright) / ' LONDON, January 12Harry Ferguson, Ltd., Coventry, has received an American order for 20,000,000 dollars’ worth of Britishbuilt Ferguson tractors. This is the largest single order so far gained in the British export drive. The firm said that the Americans were prepared to take up to 60,000,000 dollars’ worth of tractors. The first part of this order, worth £250,000, will be exported this week, and the ‘ remainder during the next seven months. An agricultural correspondent says that this particular type of tractor is ideal for family farms overseas. Implements can be fitted to it and operated by the driver from his seat. This type of tractor is expected to have a big sale in Western Europe. Britain’s 1947 steel output slightly exceeded 12,500,000 tons, but even with greater production in 1948 it would still be necessary to ration supplies, the Minister of Economic Affairs (Sir Stafford Cripps) told a press conference. Agricultural machinery makers would receive a very substantial increase. and the Ministries of Supply and Transport would also receive more. Supplies for factory and Government buildings would be cut by two-fifths and for shipbuilding by one-fifth. There would be increased allocations of steel for the engineering, coalmining, and electricity industries. Sir Stafford Cripps said he did not think that a reduced shipbuilding allocation would bring British shipbuilding down to the figure desired by the United States Department of State. He denied a suggestion that the cut m steel supplies for shipbuilding had been imposed st the request of the United States. He said he would like to give more steel for shipbuilding, because more British ships would save dollars spent on chartering American ships. Overseas Tour by Minister Dr. H. A- Marquand, the PaymasterGeneral. will leave for South Africa on January 16 on the first of his “tours of economic exploration.” Dr. Marquand said that Britain must decide how the output of her heavy industries could best be used to increase Empire food supplies “so that eventually we can free ourselves of our present excessive dependence on the western hemisphere.” He wanted to ensure that every ton of British steel helped to produce food somewhere in the world. Speaking at Maghull, near Liverpool. the President of the Board of Trade (Mr J..H. Wilson) said that the provisional export figures for December showed the highest rate of exports war ended, and very nearly *he highest for a quarter of a century. He estimated that December exports y’ould be nearly 20 per cent, greater in volume than during. December, 1908. Unfortunately however, imports had increased greatly in price, and in spite of the progress of the export bere w ould still be a gap of between the value of exand the cost of imports. Mr Wilson said he honed that everyone, whatever his politics, would support Empire development. It was hot a party matter, but the absolute responsible duty of every Briton. Industrialist's Big Estate—Mr Samuel Courtauld. a former director of Courts ulds, Ltd., who died on Decernleft an estate valued at £1,031,026.-- London, January 12.