BRITISH INDUSTRIES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10541, 18 March 1920, Page 4

BRITISH INDUSTRIES

REORGANISATION PROCESS INCREASED PRODUCTION. TRADE COMMISSIONER"S VIEWS. The prospects of Britain's manufacturing industries and overseas trada wore discussed by Mr R. W. Dalton. British Trade Commissioner in New Zealand, who returned after a visit to England extending over a period of nearly eighteen months. A very brief account of Jlr Dalton's statements were published in the "Times" yesterday. Mr Dalton arrived in England in Ootober, li>lß, and for six months afterwards travelled through the country visiting the various manufacturing districts and Chambers of Commerce. TRADE WITH DOMINION. In reference to the attitude of British manufacturers to New Zealand, he stated itdiat during his tour he was Interviewed by about 1000 manufacturers anxious to obtain information regarding the possibilities of trade with the Dominion. Many of these previously had itrade relations with the Dominion, and were desirous of renewing them. There -was a greater readiness than had previously been the case on tho part of manufacturers to discuss overseas trade. "In fact," said Mr Dalton, 'tlio number of manufacturers in ?dl branches- of industry who visited mo constituted a record, as compared with previous visits of. trade commissioners." This greater interest in the export trade Mr Dalton ascribed partly to the quickening of enterprise, and partlv to the fact that manufacturing works at Home had been so srreatly increased and enlarged that it became vital that the export-trade should he develor/cd to provide an outlet for the immensely increased production that was bound to take place. CONDITIONS BECOMING MORE NORMAL. Referring to industrial conditions at Home, Mr Dalton said 'that for several months after the signing of tihe Armistice the'majority of the industries were in a state of chaos. It was cleaj to anyone seeing tohe various works, even some months after 'the cessation of hostilities, that the manufacturers must be unable ito say what they would or would no* be,able to do within twelve months, or even two years. Before ha left England, however, conditions -were gradually becoming more normal, at least in regard to labour and factory conditions, and no doubt within a few months manufacturers would he. much better able to" organise for the future than they Qiad been previously. Summed_ up, said Mr Dalton, it migsht he said"ltiha,t the period since the signing of the Armistice had heen on© of internal reorganisation, and that for some months it would be a period of external reorganisation. A noticeaMo feature of ttlie' internal reorganisation, he_ said, was tihe amalgamation "of ex. istinc concerns into large industrial combinations, and a Kreat deal of the itime of the principals of the various I concerns had been taken up with lfhe financial details of the asnalsramationf. It might hp said that nracticallv all tho British industries ha£,.x(ono in'to tihe meltine - pot. and until the WromsK in England had heen completed, if was imrio-isible for firms to say what tliev «ould do in rpsrwt <to «verp««« +r»d». TRADE SUPREMACY RECOVERABLE.

Mr Dalton added that, judging fronj what he had seen, he felt confident thait the British manufacturers would be able to recover the trade supremacy which they formerly held. . In respect to numerous complaints thai he had received from New Zealand thaifi manufacturers were not disposed to enter into definite trade engagements for 'the Dominion, Mr Dalton said that the conditions he had mentioned rendered *he immediate undertaking of definite trade engagements impossible, but in view of the immense increase in manufacturing plants the British firms were eager to resume and increase their trade relations with the Dominion as soon as it was possible to do so. Ash present they were bombarded with demands from buyers from Western Europe, and also from the Home markets, which, the: were unable to meet.

In reference to transport condition* and the disposal of New Zealand commodities alb Home, Mr Dalton said_ he was unablo to give anv information, though, speaking generally, these were seriously affected bv the general disorganisation due ito the war, and would improve as the industrial position became betiter.