BRITAIN’S “HUSH-HUSH” FACTORIES

Northern Advocate, 5 January 1938, Page 7

BRITAIN’S “HUSH-HUSH” FACTORIES

Building contractors and local body engineers throughout the Dominion have repeatedly remarked during the past year on the difficulty experienced in obtaining large supplies of metal and ether material from overseas.

It has been directly stated from Great Britain as well as from other countries.~that the demands of the armament firms are so great that smaller contracts such as to New Zealand tradesmen, must stand second on the list of importance. ~

It is interesting to note in this connection the recent remarks of Mr Charles Todd, one of the head men in Wellington’s motor trade, on his return from England. v

Motor Trade Booming. “The motor trade in Britain is booming,” he said. “All the factories I visited were working at high pressure. Additions to factories and plant were general—quite apart from the extra factories erected in connection with the British Government's increased programme of defence.

“Nearly all the big manufacturers have additional ‘hush-hush’ factories, where tractors, heavy duty trtxcks, eh: gine parts for aeroplanes, and other material of war are being manufactured on a large scale. As a result it is confidently felt throughout the country that, within a very short time, England will not have to swallow any further insults from other Powers. No revolutionary developments in motor manufacture and design were noted by Mr Todd.

Latest Designs. .He said he visited the exhibition of the latest models of cars and trucks at Earl’s Court just before leaving London, but saw nothing outstanding in, tlie way of improvements; other than slight developments in chassis, and engine construction, there were -few changes.

The tendency in England was to produce higher-powered cars more suited to world requirements; It was hoped that the horse-power tax would be further reduced in the near future, to enable motor engineers to concentrate on yet more power, so that British cars would be more acceptable to young countries with steeper and rougher roads than were general in England.