EMERGENCY BILLS

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 September 1939, Page 8

EMERGENCY BILLS

BRITISH WAR MEASURES [BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.] RUGBY, September 6. The “Financial News,” commenting editorially on the Control of Employment Bill—one of the emergency measures introduced in the House of Commons in the past few days—states that up to the outbreak of war “the nation was producing guns at a tremendous rate without sacrificing any butter.” Arms production could not be expected to rise much more without some reduction in consumption, although that point has not yet been reached. The object of the Bill is to ensure first, the full use of labour resources for war production and second, the use of labour power in the right direction “away from peace-time and unessential purposes and towards the needs of war.” The text was issued to-day of the Import Duties Emergency Provisions Bill. This makes temporary provision for the exercise of powers hitherto only exercisable on the recommendation of the import duties advisory committee without any such recommendation and for the extension of certain powers of the Treasury and the Board of Trade in relation to the duties of the customs and excise. When introducing the Bill in the Commons two days ago, the Minister made it clear that while the Government considered ft essential during the emergency to take powers to vary duties there was no intention to make a general increase in the existing rates of the British service.

RESERVED OCCUPATIONS LONDON, September 7. The new schedule of reserved occupations is aimed ht securing that the .armed forces and civil defence services, will obtain the tradesmen required' with the minimum disturbance in the maintenance of the ordinary life of the nation. The editorial staffs of newspapers and news agencies are included in the revised schedule, which also applies to women, but any woman is free to undertake nursing and first-aid services. Men : employed in reserved occupations are free to undertake parttime national service.

MINISTRY OF SECURITY LONDON, September 6. A Board of Trade order prohibits the export of 500 articles, including coal, coke, many metals, drugs, and articles of food. A Ministry of Home Security has been established. Sir John Anderson will combine the. post of Minister with that of Home Secretary. ECONOMIC MINISTRY. RUGBY, September 7. Sir Frederick Leith Ross, Chief Economic Advisor to' the British Government, has been, appointed Director-Gen-eral of the Ministry of Economic Warfare. “COOL AS CUCUMBERS.” RUGBY, September 7. Mr. Huggins, Premier of Southern Rhodesia, who for the past few weeks has been in England, discussing the possibility of closer relationship between the two Rhodesias and the Union of South Africa, said to-day, before leaving: “The British are as cool as cucumbers. A thing which struck me most forcibly, although knowing England I expected it, is the extreme calm which is everywhere apparent. The placid demeanour of the people, when the news of the catastrophe of war was announced, was magnificent.” In regard to these discussions, it has been announced that, owing to the war, they will have to be suspended. It is pointed out, however, that the suspension is not indefinite, and they will be resumed as soon as possible.

COLONIAL LOYALTY.

RUGBY, September 7. Messages continue to come from the colonies, offering all possible help while England, is at war. The latest comes from British Guiana, where the Legislative Council pissed a resolution, unanimously pledging assistance. \ BRITAIN’S GOLD RESERVES LONDON, September 8. The sum of £280,000,000 as cabled earlier, has been transferred to the Exchange Equalisation Account. This sum represents almost the whole of the Bank of England’s gold reserve. The transfer results in the whole of the nation’s gold holdings being concentrated in one pool under Government control. The “Daily Telegraph’s” city editor points out that, with the gold already held by the Exchange Equalisation Account, the combined metallic reserves must be about double the amount which the Bank of England has now handed over. The Government is also mobilising large holdings of foreign securities held by the British public, and estimated to be about £1,090,000,000. PRECAUTIONS IN EIRE DUBLIN, September 7. The Eire reserves have been called up. Blackouts have been ordered. There is a censorship of the mails and telegraph traffic. Air-raid shelters have been constructed at Mountjoy Square to accomodate 2,000.