INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28992, 5 September 1959, Page 13

INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH

Expansion In U.K. Urged

(Rec. 10.30 p.mJ LONDON, September 4.

Britain must expand her production research considerably to avoid seriously lagging behind Russian industry, a three-man team just back from a five-week tour of laboratories and factories in Russia. Czechoslovakia and Poland reported last night. The team was from the Production Engineering Research Association.

Their preliminary report, said their association, was jointly sponsored by industry and the British Government and had about 800 member-firms covering 1200 factories.

They said that Britain’s expenditure on production engineering research was small compared with Russia’s. By the introduction of automation the U.S.S.R. had increased productivity by as much is 40 times, the report said. The rise of China as an engineering and industrial power had become of great international significance, the team said.

The report said: “Everywhere we went in Russia we were told about the tremendous energy and ability with which the Chinese are developing their engineering industry. Many Russian scientists and technologists have been assisting the Chinese to set up factories.

“With a total population of more than 850.000.000, the combined industrial strength of these two rapidly developing countries could radically alter the pattern of world trade,” it said. The association’s director, Dr. Galloway, told a press conference in London last night that the team had been allowed to see everything it asked to see. Russian production was increasing by 10 per cent, a year, compared with 2 per cent., or sometimes a decrease, in Britain and America.

Labour Pioneer 90.— Mrs Ada Florence Stoneham, a pioneer of tile Labour movement in Australia and New Zealand, celebrated her ninetieth birthday today.— Melbourne, September 4.