Britain Will Pay Her Way

Northern Advocate, 15 January 1948, Page 5

Britain Will Pay Her Way

LONDON, Wed. (11 a.m.)—The Government believed that Britain, in 1948, could produce nearly enough to pay for imported food and raw materials. The Minister of Food (Mr Strachey) said this at a luncheon. “It is by no means the case that Britain will be unable, indeed is unable even now, to meet her bills,” he said.

“We will throw resources into export industries to any extent necessary. “We will stint ourselves to pay our way. “This is not merely a declaration of the Government’s intemion, but something which the British people have grasped and appreciated to everincreasing extent.” Reuters reports that an extra ounce of margarine will be added to the British fat ration from February 1, making the total ration of butter' lard and margarine half a pound a week. Mr Straehey said the ration was increased to offset a reduction in certain American food supplies. Informing Dominions LONDON, Thur. (1 p.m • -An authoritative spokesman told the Associated Press that the Government hoped to ensure that the Dominions would be informed of any future British negotiations for trade and monetary agreements which affected the dollar pool or gold reserves. Referring to the Anglo-Egyptian agreement on January 7. of which Australia only learned when it was 'publicly announced, the spokesman said the agreement was negotiated somewhat hastily, and added that there might have been a breakdown in the machinery of information to the Do-

minions. He hoped that steps would be taken to prevent this in future.