WAR PRODUCTION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 September 1939, Page 5

WAR PRODUCTION

ORGANISATION MEASURES IN BRITAIN OUTPUT ALREADY AT HIGH LEVEL. POWER TAKEN TO VARY IMPORT DUTIES. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, September 6. The “Financial News,” commenting editorially on the Control Bill and emergency measures introduced in the House of Commons in the last few days, points out that up to the outbreak of war “the nation was producing guns at a tremendous rate without sacrificing any butter.” Arms production could not be expected to rise much more without some reduction in consumption, although that point is not yet reached. The object of the bill is to ensure, first, the full use of labour resources for war production, and, secondly, the use of labour power in the right direction “away from peacetime unessential purposes and toward the needs of war.” The text was issued today of the Import Duties Emergency Provisions Bill. This makes temporary provision for the exercise of powers hitherto only exercisable on the recommendation of the Import Duties Advisory Committee without any such recommendation, and for the extension of certain powers of the Treasury and the Board of Trade in relation to duties of Customs and excise. When introducing the Bill in the House of Commons two days ago. the Minister made it clear that while the Government considered it essential during an emergency to take powers to vary duties, there was: no intention to make a general increase in the existing rates of British service.