GIVEN TO BRITAIN

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 April 1937, Page 2

GIVEN TO BRITAIN

BIG TURKISH CONTRACTS Details were given to a 'Daily Mail’ reporter, London, recently, of £21,750,000 contracts which, in the face of fierce competition, have been given to British heavy engineering firms by Mustapha Kemal Ataturk, the Turkish Dictator. These contracts will complete his new Five Years Plan for the development of the country’s industries. After months of secret, and delicate negotiations the contracts were signed by the Turkish Minister of National Economy, Jelal Bayar, and Sir Alexander Gibb, head of the engineering firm of Sir Alexander Gibb and Partners. One of the clauses appoints Sir Alexander chief consulting engineei’ to the Turkish Government, the equivalent of “heavy industrial dictator.” The main works which will be undertaken by British firms were outlined as follows by Mr. Hugh Beaver, the partner who accompanied Sir Alexander Gibb to Istanbul and Ankara: — £ Steel works at Karabuk 3,000,000 Reconstruction of the port of Istanbul .. .. 1,500,000 New port at Eregli .. 2,000,000

Harbour reconstructions at Trebizond .. .. 750,000 New single-track railway between Diabekir and the Turko-Persian frontier 5,000,000 New double track coastal railway connecting Eregli with Filyos .. .. 4,500,000 Naval port at Gulchuk 2,500,000 Modernising of the port of Mersina .. .. 2,500,000

Mr. Beaver continued: “Forty per cent, of the minimum total earmarked for the works will come to Great Britain in payment for equipment. “That is to say, our heavy industries, many of them situated in the distressed areas, will benefit to the tune of more than £8,000,000.”