GERMANY'S GLASS TRADE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15884, 3 April 1915, Page 5 (Supplement)

GERMANY'S GLASS TRADE.

£4.500,000 , A YEAR. . How Britain may capture the German and Austrian glass trade, which is worth millions a year, was discussed by Mr. J. Orme in an interesting lecture at the Polytechnic, Regent Street. ".The Germans possess natural advantages for the production oJ some kinds of glass," he said, "but that is not the chief reason for our dependence on them. "They have been superior in technical education, and have studied the. requirements of the market. "The imports of window glass, plateglass, bottles, and other kinds of glass were £4,297.200 in 1912 and £4,546,267 in 1913. "The figures for 1907 show that altogether over £6.500.000 worth of glass was used in the kingdom. If these small islands absorb so much, what must the world's demand lie'.' And demands after the war will be enormonly increased." Mr. Ornic advocated the establishment of glass works on a large scale, and of a properly fitted institution for the scientific study and teaching of glass-making. " In starting new glass works," he added, " our greatest difficulty will be labour, and this is where polytechnics will come in to fit men for the work. " Once it becomes widely known that fairly skilled men can earn from £2 to £3 a week there should be no lack of labourers."