MR. LLOYD GEORGE'S SPEECH.

Marlborough Express, Volume LIII, Issue 195, 20 August 1919, Page 5

MR. LLOYD GEORGE'S SPEECH.

QUESTION OF PRODUCTION.

ADVERSE BALANCE OF TRADE.

[Pkess Association.] ) (Aw*, and N.Z. Assn <'«nd Reuter.) (fEecpited A«g, 19, 9.40 p.m.} LONDON, Aug.. IS. Mr leloj'd George, speaking jra the House of Commons, dealing witib. the question of production, said, that before the -war it was 287;©OO,00O tons annually. This year^at the present rate of production, '-tfre figure w««kl be 200,000,000 tons, *rid this Respite the fact that a greater number were employed to-^Jay. A toil cost 10s to raise in lBl'S; to-day lit cost 265. That was aiot only partly responsible for the abnormally Ingh'yffices of articles, b»i& it handicapped Britain in 'o^her countries where production was efeeaper and -greater. No tariff eoald remedy this. . j Mr Lloyii George emphasised the fact that the adverse balance.of trade must be faced, because they could not prosper without recovering the international trade, of indeed, without increasing it. The adverse balance of trade before the war was £150.000,000. Now 'Jfc was £85toyi000,000. That chasm'must be bridgetl, because at the bottom was ruin. He reminded the House that there had been an almost sensational decrease 'in the''output, ' which was now less than ever in every branch of production except agriculture. The country was spending more and producing less.