BRITISH AFFAIRS

Hokitika Guardian, 13 August 1937, Page 5

BRITISH AFFAIRS

SLUM CLEARANCE (Per British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, August 11/ The Government’s great slum clearance and rehousing campaign is still gathering momentum.During July local authorities declared clearance areas comprising 4760 houses, representing the. displacement of 19,446 persons, as against 1747 houses and .16,173 persons in June.

The "Total number of houses in confirmed orders now is 151,597, involving the displacement of 649,611 persons. At the end of June there were 64,108 houses under construction. against 61,954 at the end of Mat "ahtf : 69,326 at the end of April.

The great majority of these houses are being provided for the rehousing of persons displaced in the slum clearance scheme. ARMY SERVICE RUGBY, August -11. There has been a quick response to the War Office announcement which allows serving soldiers to extend their service. Within a few hours the first inquiries were received at the Central London Recruiting Department, and to-day many reservists called at recruiting offices throughout the country.

PRIMARY INDUSTRIES RUGBY, August 11. Britain’s primary industries continue to be extremely active. Fresh evidence of this is provided by the iron and steel output figures for July. These show that the production of pig-iron amounted to 927,300 tons. These figures have not been equalled since September, 1920, when 741,000 tons were produced. Last month’s total includes the output of hemstite, which shows a big increase, as several furnaces were transferred from the smelting of basic pigiron.

The monthly output of steel continued at a figure considerably in excess of 1,000,000 tons. The tonnage for last month was 1,058,200 as compared until 1,106,400 tons in June, and 974,100 tons for July, 1936. This hi eh rate of activity has been attained in spite of an increase rn the Scottish holidays, which acrennted for a reduction in the Scottish steel output of 55.000 tons.