TOPICS IN BRITAIN

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 April 1943, Page 6

TOPICS IN BRITAIN

AIRCRAFT WORKS CONTROL

(N.Z.I’.A. Special Correspondent)

(Recd. 9.20 a.m.) LONDON, April 5. The action of Sir S. Cripps in taking over the entire shareholding of Short Brothers, and securing a new board of directors, the forthcoming Labour Party conference, and another suggestion for British agricultural policy, are among the subjects engaging public attention in Britain. There >s a fairly wide feeling that a further Government statement should be made to clarify Sir S. Cripps’ action. When Sir S. Cripps was appointed last November, it was stated that Britain’s aircraft production was good out could be better. In December, he appointed a new managing director lor the Fairey Aviation Company, and the English Electric took over Napier and Sons. Next, the whole of Short’s share capital was transferred and vested in nominees of the Ministry of Aircraft Production. The result has been some mystification, for Sir S. Cripps has not informed the Commons why he thought it necessary to take this action. There are accusations of axes being ground, that, nationalisation is being brought in through a side door, and that monopoly is being reinforced. While there is no tendency to criticise Sir S. Cripps personally, he is being pressed to say with evidence that his action was necessary and unprejudiced. The Labour Party’s annual Whitsun conference is arousing more interest, —some say excitement, —than ever before. There will be two major decisions, it will have to take, firstly, whether the electoral truce will be broken; secondly, whether the Communist Party’s request for admission to the Labour party will be accepted. Lt is at present, thought the answer will be negative in both cases. The Labour Party is passing through a difficult phase. It has been observed that while the country’s centre is moving leftwards the people are not following the Labour Party. Some are tending to the Communist Party, the others' towards Ihe Commonwealth (the hotter a new party which has been contesting bye-elections). It is also observed that the commonest complaint against the Labour Party is it is dominated by trade unions. It is expected to be a lively conference, — and very important for Labour’s future. Further grist for discussion on post-war agriculture is added by the Conservative Party sub-committee’s report. It fits in with proposals of other bodies stressing the need for stable world prices on an international basis, more efficient farming, better marketing, and better conditions in villages. Just what proportions Britain’s farming will assume after the war is difficult now to assess, but industrial and commercial bodies do not hesitate to point out that Britain is firstly an industrial country, which is most important for income from overseas, and that the country’s prosperity rests on flourishing industry rather than large domestic agriculture. Many believe the policy of guaranteed prices, markets and wages, has come to stay, for Britain s agriculture. Sooner or later, the Commons must discuss the whole subject.