IMPORT GUTS BY AUSTRALIA

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26692, 28 March 1952, Page 7

IMPORT GUTS BY AUSTRALIA

EFFECT ON BRITISH TEXTILE INDUSTRY

LONDON, March 28. The President of the Board of Trade (Mr Peter Thorneycroft) told the House of Commons to-day: “It would be the worst thing that could happen for Canberra and London to atari trying to blame each other over the Australian import cuts." He was replying to a debate initiated by the Opposition on the slump in the British textile industry. Mr Anthony Greenwood, opening the debate, said that a great reaponsibility rested on Mr Thorneycroft “to Mcure further alleviation of the damage the Australian cuts would do to British exoorts, particularly the textile industnea" He said that 70,000 cotton workers—between one-fifth and one-quarter of the labour force in the industry—were wholly or partially unemployed ta Lancashire, and it was estimated that 200.000 would be workless by the summer. Mr Greenwood said he disagreed with the Government contention that the recent Commonwealth Finance Ministers’ talks were a “tremendous triumph of Empire co-operation. He said the textile industries had not been helped by the conference in view of the enormous competition from other countries, particularly from Japan. He asked the Government to speed the war contracts with the cotton industry apd relieve textiles from the purchase tax temporarily, Mr Thorneycroft replied that the Australian cuts .were over present in the Government’s mind, but they were only one example of what was a much wider problem. The British Government had always made it demonstrably clear that it wished, if possible, for the Commonwealth countries to avoid cutting imports and exports between each other. Equally, it was demonstrably plain what aize was the problem which confronted the Australian Government. _ Mr Thorneycroft continued: "We have drawn Australia's attention in the clearest possible terms to the impact of her action on the consumer industries of this country. We will follow up that broad approach with detailed instances which are drawn to our attention by particular firms or industries affected.”