MAJOR FACTOR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27079, 13 May 1949, Page 8

MAJOR FACTOR

TEXTILE MILLS BRITAIN’S ECONOMIC RECOVERY MANY TRADE IMPEDIMENTS In spite of the labour shortage, the high cost of raw materials, the difficulty in replacing machinery and the shortage of electricity, the textile mills were playing a major part in Britain’s economic recovery, said Mr N. Denning, who has returned to Dunedin after having spent two years studying the woollen business in a Bradford mill. Mr Denning said that the American market had first priority for high quality products, such as Huddersfield worsted cloth, and this was aiding Britain to a large degree in recovering her dollar deficiency. With the help of Marshall Aid Britain, he was sure, would soon be back to her pre-war status. Although the people were psychologically sick of rations, queues, high taxation and housing shortages they were fully aware of their responsibilities and were making every effort to regain their former position in the world. Plant Replacement Problem The labour shortage was being alleviated to a certain extent, Mr Denning said, by bringing people frpm Europe, mainly displaced Polish workers. But the mills were finding extreme difficulty in replacing machinery, and as a consequence were facing a serious problem in maintaining the former high standard of manufacture Most Bradford topmakers were extremely concerned at the high price of raw materials and consequently it was becoming more difficult to expand the export trade. In the West Riding of Yorkshire, the factories maintain “staggered” working hours, as this helped to alleviate the power shortage', Mr Denning continued. The shortage was due to the lack of sufficient coal, and here again labour was a factor. There were no hydro-electric power stations in England, the power being generated by the burning of coal. The situation had improved to a large extent since the extremely bad winter of 1947, when conditions in Britain were at their lowest ebb and many factories were forced to cease production for several days. An indication of the improving power supplies, Mr Denning said, was given by the fact that neon lighting in towns was recently resumed. Competitors of Wool Modern trends in the various aspects of woollen manufacturing in Britain were also discussed by Mr Denning. In respect to artificial fibres, he did not think that they would supersede raw wool. But. he added, research agencies were making tremendous strides in artificial fibres and woolgrowing countries would need to watch the position very closely. The working conditions in the factories had improved enormously over the past 10 years, Mr Denning said. In fact, Britain was undergoing an industrial revolution in that respect. Many firms, such as family Concerns, were now on a profit-shar-ing basis, whereby the profits were divided among the workers. Most concerns had canteens where the workers could buy low-priced meals, which were called industrial rations. These were much higher than the ordinary domestic rations.