BRITISH TRADE REVIVAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20897, 12 June 1931, Page 12

BRITISH TRADE REVIVAL.

REGAINING LOST GROUND. PROSPERITY IN SIGHT. A belief that England was right on the verge of a new era of prosperity, and that before long, instead of being in third place, she would regain her former position as the leading exporting country of the world, was expressed by Mr. F. W. Mothes, 8.A., who arrived at Wellington from London by the Ulima roa, via Sydney. Mr. Mothes said that admittedly several of the basic industries—iron and steel and the manufacture of cotton and woollen goods-'-had been passing through a period of intense hardship and depression. " During difficult times," ho continued, " British manufacturers have not been idle. Most have recognised the necessity of advancing with the times, with the result that ninny factories have undergone a complete reorganisation with new processes, which meant the complete elimination of old plant and the installation of up-to-date machinery. Furthermore, in many cases it has been found nocessary to change the nature of the commodity produced, to open up new avenues of trade and to give work to (he thousands of employees whose livelihood depends upon the direction in which capital should bo employed. To-day many of these new processes are in operation, and I find, for instance, in Lancashire, that in place of the old cotton ' piece ' goods for which the county was famous, entirely new materials composed of artificial silk and cotton and wool mixtures are now being turned out in over-increasing quantities. " There has been considerable research in finding a solution for the coal problem, and British entrepreneurs are about to launch into a new enterprise which will involve the utilisation of coal for the production of motor spirit, and other products. This should shortly solve the old difficulty of finding employment for tens of thousands of miners. " There is a feeling in Great Britain that bad times are slowly passing away, and in well-informed circles thero is a distinct feeling of optimism and reiterated expressions that Britain is about to forge slowly ahead from third place of the world's exporters to her old place at the head of the list. " The British outlook in regard to the overseas Dominions has improved considerably in recent years, so much so that I find company directors anxious and willing to learn as to the individual requirements of the various territories in which they aro interested. The old attitude, ' lake it or leave it,' has gone for ever, and in its stead the policy of British manufacturers is to send ambassadors overseas to study markets, with a view to developing their products exactly to the requirements which suit their consumers."