QUARTER OF EVERYTHING MADE MUST BE EXPORTED

Northern Advocate, 13 September 1947, Page 5

QUARTER OF EVERYTHING MADE MUST BE EXPORTED

CRIPPS. SETS BRITAIN NEW GOAL

(New Zealand Press Assn —Reuters —Copyright)

(Received 10 a.m.) LONDON, September 12. BRITAIN’S revised export programme is designed to bridge the gap. of £372,000,000 in Britain’s yearly balance of oversea payments, after allowing for the cuts in imports which the Prime Minister (Mr Attlee) announced on August 27, amounting to £228,000,000. The President of the Board of Trade (Sir Stafford Cripps) announced this in an address to a meeting representing both s

Sir Stafford said the Govei for each export industry for the a month, and by a further const per cent of those in 1938.

It was of the utmost importance that as much as possible of the extra exports went to hard-currency countries, especially those in the Western Hemisphere.

des of industry. rnment would fix the actual targets (as had been done with coal) purpose of increasing exports as soon as possible by £31,000,000 derable amount in another six months, until exports were 160

Britain's experience in Aie export drive of the past two years had provided much knowledge of export conditions which should help in the new task.

It would be necessary to introduce a more detailed direction of exports of certain essential goods, so as to use exports to obtain the immediate supplies which Britain needed from abroad. Compulsion might be necessary to achieve this. Sir Stafford said the secretary of the Department of Overseas Trade (Mr Harold Wilson) would be chairman of the committee which would guide the new export drive. It would represent all the production departments, the Treasury, the Foreign Office, the Commonwealth Relations and Colonial Offices and the Planning Secretariat. “This is a deep-seated economic upset,” he said, ‘and it will be years before he can find a way through the difficulties. The only way we can shorten the period is through our own efforts.”

If the extra volume of exports, amounting to £31,000,000 a month, was not achieved as soon as possible, Britain would be unable to supply herself with sufficient food and raw materials to maintain production. “That would mean the collapse of our efforts,” he said.

More materials and labour capacity would be needed to produce more exports, but, as all Britain's resources were now fully employed, the extras must come from cutting down in other sectors.

The Government was making additional cuts in the forces.

“This extra export must be the first charge upon production.”

By the end of 1948 Britain must aim at reaching ICO per cent, of 1938 exports, compared with the immediate objective of 140 per cent. That would entail the provision, by the end of 1947. of the raw materials necessary for reaching the higher figure in the heavier industries, and. therefore, to that extent, became part of the immediate plan. The task had been set at 160 per cent, so that the Government would be able to raise living standards.

It proposed to reduce manpower in the less essential industries and was reviewing the capital-expenditure programme, the last-named involving a substantial reduction in the flow of new machinery and equipment to British industries. There would be substantial cuts on building and civil engineering, which would mean the cessation of work on construction projects, except in special cases or in areas where new factories were essential to absorb unemployed. The Government was working out the cuts in detail for each project or class of project. Some industries, such as coalmining, power supply and certain transport requirements, must have priority.