BRITISH SHIPBUILDING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21951, 7 November 1934, Page 13

BRITISH SHIPBUILDING

GREAT REVIVAL NOTED DECREASE IN UNEMPLOYMENT British shipbuilding is staging a great revival. Orders have been pouring in from all parts of the world for Britishbuilt steam and motor vessels. More than 1,000,000 tons of new merchant shipping construction has been put in hand since the beginning of the year—nearly half as much again as last year, when the total for the 12 months was 720,000 tons.

The superiority of British vessels over those of foreign manufacture and the added prestige given to Britain by the construction of the new Cunarder have had a bearing on the orders that are now coming in.

There were recently 50 per cent more men working in British shipyards than there were last year—22,ooo extra jobs. Unemployment was lower than at any time since the slump began in 1930. All the shipbuilding centres —Glasgow, Belfast, the Tyneside and the Mersey—reported a bright outlook. The Tyne has four times as much work in hand as last year, including two train ferry steamers for tho Southern Railway, two oil tankers, a passenger ship for China, two large vessels for the Australia-New Zealand traffic, and a passenger liner for Canada.

Activity will shortly be increased by the orders for 20 new naval ships, for which the Admiralty is inviting tenders. They will cost more than £15,000,000, and work will begin before Christmas. Russia also sent representatives to Britain recently to inquire into the possibility of placing extra orders for ships.