BRITAIN BUILDS UP EXPORTS

Southland Times, Issue 24104, 18 April 1940, Page 7

BRITAIN BUILDS UP EXPORTS

Home Consumption Restricted CAR MANUFACTURERS FORM GROUP (United Press Assn.—Te’egraph Copyright) (Received April 17, 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, April 16. The President of the Board of Trade (Sir Andrew Rae Duncan) has ordered the restriction of retailers’ supplies of cotton and rayon goods to 75 per cent, of the pre-war consumption and linen goods to 25 per cent. The order aims at freeing productive capacity, labour and raw materials for the export trade. Exports are expected to increase between £15,000,000 and £20,000,000 annually. Excessive retail price increases are not feared. Under an order of the Ministry of Supply cotton spinneis are debarred for a month from accepting new contracts except to meet Government requirements or for the export trade. A motor export group has been formed on the basis of the overseas organization already established by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, which has its own trade commissioners in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Burma and Ceylon. The export production plan comprises motorvehicles of a basic trade value of £12,000,000 .annually and motor parts and accessories of a value of £3,000,000. Mr W. E. Root, chairman of the group and president of the society, said that the figures did not necessarily represent the full extent of the export drive. Throughout the first seven months of the war the export of 1000 vehicles a week had been maintained. The export demand had been exceptionally good and increased numbers had also been sent to many foreign markets. WAR MATERIALS FOR VLADIVOSTOCK (British Official Wireless) (Received April 17, 6.30 p.m.) RUGBY, April 16. The Minister of Economic Warfare (Mr R. H. Cross) was asked in the House of Commons about what a questioner described as ships of different nationalities clearing the port of Los Angeles loaded with all kinds of war materials for Vladivostock. Mr Cross said that his Ministry had a large volume of information about shipments from Los Angeles and other American ports to Vladivostock. Where there was sufficient evidence that the ultimate destination of the goods was Germany all possible steps were taken to detain them. DANISH STOCKS OF MOTOR SPIRIT (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, April 16. The Minister of Economic Warfare, Mr R. H. Cross, in the House of Commons, said that, according to his information, stocks of motor spirit and Diesel oil in Denmark at the time of the German invasion were probably as follows: — Petroleum products.—Not more than 200,000 tons, equivalent to an average of three and a-half months' requirements on the estimated consumption before the invasion. Motor spirit.—Eighty thousand tons, or slightly under four months’ consumption. Gas fuel and Diesel oil together.— Sixty-one thousand tons, equivalent to two and a-half months’ consumption.