EUROPE TO=DAY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 26 November 1928, Page 4

EUROPE TO=DAY.

BRITAIN ’ S INDUSTRIAL RECOVERY. MR. Cl J. B. NORWOOD'S IMPRESSIONS. “We have had a most wonderful time every day of our trip, but it is good to be back in New Zealand again,” said Mr. C. J. B. Norwood, ex-Mayor of AVellington, who has returnee form a world tour.

“Of all the countries visited,” said Air. Norwood, “Great Britain was the most uniformly beautiful from end to end. Probably the brightest star on the horizon in Britain to-day is the improved spirit between capital and labour. I am satisfied that tire masters of “indus try in Britain are willing to go to any length consistent with prudent national economics to bring about peace between labour and capital, if such be possible. There have been several instances where labour unions after exhaustive investigations have agreed to a reduction in wages to save their particular industry from' serious consequences, and I believe there are eminent men under the Labour banner to-day who believe that the unions must function to protect the industry upon which their members depend, in addition to what has been in the past almost their sole aim, that is shorter hours and higher wages. “The desire for efficiency and automatic machinery is just as marked in Britain as it is in the United States. Generally speaking,- the industrial chiefs are sanguine as to the future, and I believe from my own observations that England is in better shape to-day than finy other nation in Europe to compete on the world’s markets for its manufactured products. The unemployment question in Britain is still a very serious matter. Shipbuilding is picking up very nicely,'but the nature of the German reparations gives very little chance for the coal and iron industries. Belgium is able to quote commercial steel in England lower than their cost of production, and when one considers that it takes several tons of coal to make a ton of commercial steel it can be seen how this reflects upon England’s own consumption of coal.” Mr. Norwood explained in regard tv the reparations terms that a great quantity of German coal was being delivered to Belgium, and with the advantage of cheap fuel the Belgian industrialists were in a position to quote far below normal figures. Similarly, Italy was reaping the benefit of German “reparation coal,” but was not in the same position to compete in prices, as Italy lacks ores and must import them.

Because- Germany had to give away most of her best coal, said Mr. Norwood, they had Ireen tin-own hack on their brown coal resources, unused since the war. With, the . Germans necessity never failed to he the mother of invention, and they were extracting 12cwt of petrol from each ton of coal, and there was 20 per cent moisture in the coal. They were trying to find: a. suitable use for the residue. The process seemed simple, hut it was a secret.

Dir. Norwood visited big - chemical works employing 300 chemists, 250 engineers, and 25,t)0!> workmen _ making fertilisers (sulphate of ammonia) from the nitrogen in the air. They were obtaining a substitute for sulphuric acid from some chalky subsoil, and were turning out huge quantities of fertiliser at a price which the manager informed him was -lower than it could be done anywhere else in the world. The fertiliser was also -sent out of Germany, largely in reparation. “Berlin was found to be' a brilliant city, more prosperous than the remainder of Germany, largely . because of the thousands of foreign visitors,”' continued Mr. Norwood. “At the same time Germany’s position to-day, considering everything, is simply marvellous. But nearly all the old rich families have lost their money and are back at some occupation. Germany extends the greatest courte-sy to travellers; in fact, the people of Germany were more uniformly courteous than anywhere else in the world outside of England.” Mr. Norwood said that conditions in Italy impressed upon him very strongly. He had visited that country in 1920, when conditions were of the worst. " The people had lost heart and were sorely in need of leadership- They had little hope of being able to pay the interest upon their accumulated national debt, and with their inflated currency they could not afford to import coal and iron, upon which they depended largely to manufacture their industrial exports. In fact, the people had stopped working, and could lie' seen walking around the streets aimlessly.

“To-day all this is changed,” said Mr. Norwood. “None could go through Italy as we have done without noting the remarkable changes. Mussolini has raised Italy up and prevented grave trouble. * He appears to have risen as an inspired leader, and has changed the whole outlook of Italian life. The smallest bovs in Italy now like, to wear their black shirts, and the peocl.e from the menial workers to the highest business man, have their tickets of membership in the Fascist' organisation, the only passport worth while. The streets are being cleaned, and there is an air of progress. The farmers are quite happy under the new regime.”

Mr. Norwood said that he_ had snoken to many people of all classes, and they were all satisfied that their leader was the man to arise’ltaly and to spread her influence in the world. Tbe : military side had not been nocrlectecl. and there were ominous sinus that Italy had aspirations which no in ted .outside its pi-esent boundaries.