BRITAIN’S PRODUCTION

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 July 1941, Page 8

BRITAIN’S PRODUCTION

MR CHURCHILL TO SPEAK. RUGBY, July 15. The Prime Minister (Mr Churchill) made a statement in the House of Commons about the impression which had been created by necessarily abridged newspaper reports of last week’s debate on supply. . Mr Churchill said a sensational statement had been telegraphed and broadcast all over the world which did not represent the well directed efforts and remarkable results in almost every field of production. He had given a direction that all the allegations made in the debate of any serious substance should be sent to the departments concerned in order that the facts could be ascertained “at an early date.” He continued: “ propose to set up the same vote as was discussed last week and have a day’s debate in public session, and will endeavour to make a full and comprehensive statement on the whole matter, as far as the public interest permits m open session. I hope by these means, which are inspired by the greatest possible respect for the House, to remove any mistaken and evil impression that may be doing us harm m any part of the world. Mr Churchill said this decision had been reached because people in the United States and the Dominions, especially Australia, had been disturbed by statements in the recent debate. One of the statements was that Britain’s industries were working to only 75 per cent, of their efficiency, and another was that the Ministry of Aircraft Production was in a state of chaos. INDUSTRIES’ CONCENTRATION. -RUGBY, July 15. Satisfactory results in the concentration of industry were mentioned by the President of the Board of Trade (Sir Andrew Duncan), replying to a question in the House pi Commons. Sir Andrew Duncan said that one result of the invitation last March to conclude the agreement lor concentrations of industry was that nearly 100,000 worker had been released, or were being made available for release, under the arrangement's in hand in the industries concerned. About 85,000.000 square feet of factory space had been placed at the disposal. of ' the ControllerGeneral of Factory and Storage Premises. The period allowed for the submission of voluntary schemes had now come to an end. In a number of at Had been substantially achieved, lesser industries the result arrived and gratifying progress had been made in large sections of the more important industries affected. BRITAIN’S FOOD SUPPLIES. RUGBY, July 15. The Minister lor Food (Lord Wool ton) said in the House of Lords that there were fewer people in Britain suffering from malnutrition now than in days of peace. Tnis was due to the Government’s securing not only adequate supplies but acuate distribution according to the needs of the people. „ . ~ “We could to-day, therefore, in the middle of the war say we are in a position of comparative security. Lord Woolton said: “In spite of the blows we have sustained—and indeed they have been many because of the U-boats—we stand alone among the nations at war in being able to increase rations and die allocations we are making for the manufacture of food. Moreover we can look into the future with confidence.” Lord' Woolton added that the purpose of controlling food was to make sure that small quantities disappeared down a multitude ot throats rather than a large quantity down the throats of a small number ol people who could afford to pay. Control multiplied 10 and 20 times the number of people who could an did to buy a particular article of food and that was the reason why it disappeared from the shops.