CONDITIONS IN BRITAIN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIV, 11 January 1921, Page 5

CONDITIONS IN BRITAIN

slump and unemployed Conditions in Britain wore referred to last week by Air G. Toogood, of Wellington, in the course of an intefview with a New Zealand Herald fepj roscntativc. AH * ToogOod, who has been in Britain for some years,- arrived ' in Auckland by the Aiakura on Tliurs- • day ‘ * , . Air Toogood stated there was no question that the forces of progress were at work, and that the British t,eminent was exorcising a good deal of imagination in attempting to .' meet different problems as they arose i Air Lloyd George, he said, certainly • enjoyed the commence of the people to • a marked degree. This was due, i:n a •large measure, to his honest sympathy with the masses. Economic conditions in Britain were undoubtedly bad. Alany factories were compelled to close, <i u 'vn, and large numbers of operatives wore beiirg rendered idle in consequence. Tma was largely duo to existing conditions in Europe. Prior to the war Britain had there a inrgo market at her very door, but -to-day the people on the Continent were without the means with which to purchase British raanu- | factured goods, and as a result there was a slump in trade. This,' said, Mr I Toogood, was one of the natural after- ! effects of the Great War, and some time would necessarily elapse before I matters wore readjusted. • f&me | people were of the opinion that the period of readjustment would be , almost as long as the period over which the war extended. Once the affairs or 1 the Continental Powers were placed on a sound commercial basis then conditions in Britain would improve rupidJy. >: ‘ I On the whole the business people of ! Britain were facing their difiicultieU ! with optimism and courage, and there was no doubt that they would successfully survive the troublous times through which the country was a'qw passing* Tlxo sp>irit,, fry the British (faring the war was manifested to-day, and the, .people were always seen at,.. tneir beat when adverse conditions obtained. vSo far as industrial conditions were concerned, Mr Toogood stated that the Whitley Council movement 1 made considerable progress. . There was an attempt to establish & common platform where capital . a^d :; could meet and and endeavour to satisfactory to both paniegb' felt by those rpsponsibkfpr initiatfflg tins system that the pf ( deal with««ny grievances s was- at their srfurce—that was (it the works. ";.^ The question of a preferential, within the Ekhpire also subject of some remarks bar Mr Teor good. He had, he said, .tmjt question very darefvdly war, and had found that ipaby of B|W tain’s statesmen ■bbusiaeied" tM policy of free, trade would bhve.toubdergo considerable -niodift6h<>iott n‘hen peace was restored and normal ; trade conditions obtained. Although nothing definite had been gard to. this question, it cussed by * prominent people, favoured a tariff giving preference to the countries < comprising the Empire. The .Labour Party, of course, was Opposed to any suggestion of a hnl and this doubtless • accounted for the fact that comparatively verydittle hud been done by the Government, in the direction of tackling.the question of altering its pojfcy of* free . tradm “Strangely enopgh, M > 400good, “although the Labour .Pa rty is now opposed to a. tariff, thp opinion is held bv many able meh 1 : in that it. will bo'bhrough agOnOif ** that party that a tariff will be mtrpduced; the reason; given for this WJew is that the Labour leaders will ; upd from experience ttejttKfc payment . of high wages, will nob be ppßSlbloir _the employer is mot prosperity;./ nt a rket enables' countneejiko America and Germany to dump fh&f ;f;Opw IP England and compete witntocal manufacturers. ( The rCsdlt wiifbeAmat. men will not have suffibient emptoyinept,, and then the labour leaders; wilLsee the necessity for protecting. \ local IPdusiribß. ,> , f - ; ’