INDUSTRIAL BRITAIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17956, 5 December 1921, Page 8

INDUSTRIAL BRITAIN.

TIME OF DISORGANISATION. BESULT OF LABOUR. UNREST. ' SERIOUS DECLINE IN TRADE. The difficulties which Britain is experiencing as the result of industrial disorganisation due to continued Labour unrest following on the upheaval caused by tho war, were referred to yesterday by the Hon. E. W. Alison, M.L.C,,, who returned' by the Maheno after a trip extending over eight months. Mr. Alison said the economic' conditions in Britain were of a most depressing character, the whole country suffering not only from the aftermath of war, but from far-reaching financial stringency, excessive taxation, loss of trade, industrial' unrest and unemployment; Great Britain's loss of trade during the present year had been appalling, due largoly to continuous industrial stoppages, including tho recent disastrous coal strike. Each month's returns for the present year, as published < by the Board, of Trade, 'compared with corresponding months for last- year, showed reductions in both exports and imports, the figures for September showing the position as Mr. Alison observed it iimmediately prior to lus departure for New Zealand. The imports for September, 1921, totalled £87,118,507, and the exports as against £152,757,136 and £117,455,913 respectively for the corresponding month of last year or a falling-off of £127,846,964. The losses in trade for the first nine months of this year in imports totalled . £673,733;769, and in exports £488,616,725, or a total decline of £1,162,630,494. Disastrous Coal Strike.' "Industrial troubles and unrest v have been the chief causes, of this alarming reduction," said Mr. Alison, "the deplorable and insane coal strike which ended on June 29 being the chief cause of this and of unemployment in Great Britain. It is estimated that the coal.stoppage in three months- lost the country 250 millions, but the subsequent loss to the country as a whole owing to the closing down of,, industries and consequent loss of trade, which will 'long continue, cannot be estimated. Foreign orders' have gone elseand oil it now used in many industries and undertakings, the percentage of oil-burning vessels having increased from 2.62 per cent, in 1914 to 20 per cent, in 1921. During June j the coal exports amounted to the phenomenally low figure of £12,677 as against £8,000,000 a year previously, while 5,000,000 tons of coal were imported in the. same month. A year earner the coal imports were nil." One disastrous result of the Coal Miners' Federation calling out the engineers and pumpmen, continued Mr. Alison, was that 131 coaji pits had been permanently closed. Hie aggregate number of working days wasted by the miners up to the collapse of the strike was approximately 70 Bullion working days, the loss in wages alone exceeding £50,000,000. The cost of maintaining the mines would certainly be not less than £10,000,000, but the cost to tho industry and to the miners was comparatively trifling compared to the cost to the country. British industries were now suffering severely from Continental competition, >and in order to recapture her trade in overseas markets the manufacturers must ' Sroduce more cheaply. To do this, said Ir. Alison, strikes must cease, and a, < change, of spirit, as the result of which the < British workman would put his back into, ( his work, must prevail: ' < Future Rests With Labour. | " What is wanted in England," added J Mr. Alison, "is the cessation of indus- ' trial unrest and strikes, cessation of the ( limitation of output, and an immediate re- ( turn to productive work. There be £ unity of aim and purpose and the nation \ must, get to work in earnest. The.re- % mark" made by Mr. W. M. Hughes, Prime 1 Minister of Australia, that 'there is no 1 salvation for us except by work,' applies t with full forco to tho people of England. < There is, I feel sure, no other way_ if trade I is to bo restored and good conditions and : prosperity are to predominate. Employers 1 and workers must Sot as one, exercising t their brains and capabilities in untnon, j and enterprise must be encouraged. These < are the conclusions I have come to from t studying the conditions in England, and if these things are not done the heart of l the Empire shall slowly but surely be- ; come decadent." 1 Mr. Alison said that Mr. Clynes, Lab- , our M.P., hit the nail on the head when | he said:/" We need not for the main pur- i pose think of any identity between capital and labour, but unless the interest of , both is pursued in a mood of 'agreeing to , disagree' but uniting to succeed, both in- , teresta will drift farther and farther to - the brink of irreparable ruin." Referring . to the remark by Dean Inge, that ] " Civilisations die when it is not worth , : while to do a good days work," Mr. 1 Alison concluded by saying he held the ; i view, however, thai the British workman would realise that it was only by acting • I on the lines he had indicated that a " restoration of trade could be effected, and ' when he did so realise he could be «de- ( ' i pended upon to do his part to enable his • country again to compete successfully for • the woVld's commerce. Even then it . would take a long time 1 lo secure a full re- > vival or restoration of British trade.