SLOWLY BUT SURELY

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12434, 30 April 1926, Page 7

SLOWLY BUT SURELY

BRITAIN IS RECOVERING HIGHLIGHTS IN THE TRADE PICTURE NEW COMMISSIONER CONFESSES Despite ‘ the post-war burdens which press so heavily on the Mother Country, Great Britain now has a larger share in the world trade of those industries which call for skilled craftsmanship than ever before. That is what the Dominion’s new Trade Commissioner (Mr L. B. Beale) learned during a recent visit to the United Kingdom. Mr Beale came to New Zealand from Vancouver where lie represented the trade interests of His Majesty’s Government to the whole of Western Canada. From July to December last he spent in investigating trad-j conditions in Great Britan, and during that time he saw from 500 to 600 mannufacturers engaged in manufacturing for the open market. During the last ten years, Mr Beale told a “Times” representative yesterday, the Mother Country’s share of world trade in skilled industries had increased largely. In that time world trade? in sterling value had increased by 30 per cent., and in the same period, also in sterling value, British foreign trade had risen by 40 per cent. He took sterling, of course, because it Was the only means of comparison, and on this basis Great Britain had obtain-

ed a larger share. On the other side of the medal her trade in volume had not shown an increase. In quantity it had represented something like 80 to 85 per cent, on a 1913 basis. In other words world trade had shrunk, though the Mother Country’s share of it was larger. WHERE BRITAIN LEADS There were some very bright spots /in Britain’s export trade. She had sue ceeded in wresting from Germany and the United States the first place in the manufacture of electrical apparatus. Before the world war Germany had held •the premiership in this industry. After the war the United States had held it. To-day it was the possession of Britain. The position of superiority was due to the skill, cane and industry of British workmen—for it was those three virtues for which that particular branch of manufacture called. Another feature which had struck him on his last visit, and which was thrown into relief by his observations on previous visits was the much better understanding between workman and employer. This was expressed by both sides, and he would say, that the average British Workman was as excellent as ever he had been; was, indeed, turning out a better product than ever he had. He would say, too, that amongst the employers there was a tendency to a’low the workers greater reward that they might benefit from the result of their labour. Coal, of course, was the problem. It was useless to discuss it, but he thought that a permanent decrease in the world demand for coal must be faced. The

difficulty was not confined to the United Kingdom, hut wag the inevitable result of the increased use of oil and hydroclactrical power. MORE WORK FOR MORE MEN Still another good factor. The five major industries of Great Britain, including the iron and steel manufactures and the shipbuilding, engineering and textile trades now showed a decrease in unemployment, and a big decrease at that. Fifteen months ago there had been 500.000 men out of work in these particular industries ; today tho number had fallen to 250,000. With increased stabilitv in F.urope Britain was recovering, slowly but surelv. The stabilisation of the exchange in Germany and Belgium, the industrial recoverv of Italy, the growing prosperity of Sweden all were factors which went to improve the position of the Homeland. These were factors which had not existed a couple of years ago. and which must mate a difference. When it was realised that Furono ns a whole took about one-third of the United Kingdom’s exports the extent of the difference would be realised. And, finally, there had been a distinct and steady growth in Britain’s exports to Empire countries, and in her imports from Empire countries. Both were climbing upward.