BRITISH BUILDING

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 19, 23 January 1937, Page 15

BRITISH BUILDING

LABOUR SHORTAGE

"MODERATE PROSPERITY"

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, January 2. The British shipping industry begins the New Year in "a moderate state of prosperity," according to Sir Maurice Denny, president of the Shipbuilding Employers' Federation. Writing in "Lloyd's List Annual Review," he says, however, that there is no cause for complacency, and points out that in December, 1929, the merchant tonnage under construction was 70 per cent, greater than in September, 1936. Then 45 per cent, of the berths in Britain were idle. So far as can be foreseen, the industry will never again attain the magnitude of pre-war days. Dealing with the shortage of skilled labour in the shipyards, Sir Maurice criticises as "grossly misleading" the Ministry of Labour's statistics showing that in October 28 per cent, of those insured-as following shipbuilding and ship repairing were employed. "It is M£ll SnowA," States* if