POLICY POINTS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 213, 8 September 1945, Page 5

POLICY POINTS

BRITISH INDUSTRY

ENSURING EMPLOYMENT AND EFFICIENCY

London, Sept. 5. Mr. Herbert Morrison, addressing a demonstration held in conjunction with the national conference of Labour women at Leeds, gave five points of the Government’s policy for ensuring full employment and industrial efficiency.

They were:—(l) Socialisation of certain important basic industries; (2) steps to ensure that sectors oi industry and commerce which are left to private ownership are run efficiently; <3t stimulation of the investment of new capital in both socialised and private sectors of industry to increase the output of urgently-need-ed everyday goods; (4) encouragemen ol scientific research to enable scientists to make the same contribution to the problems o; peace as they gave to those of war; and (5) more expenditure on technical and university education.

"But much as the Government can do,” said Mr. Morrison, "they cannot do everything. Whether we succeed in making an important advance, our over-all standard ot living will depend on tho men and women in industry. With your help we will do it." WOMEN’S WAR CONTRIBUTION Mr. Morrison praised the tremendous contribution women had ytade to the war effort. In 1939, lie said, there were less than live million women of working age m employment. During tile war the figure rose lo nearly seven millions. In addition, nearly half a million women were in the forces or in lull-lime civil defence.

Mr. Morrison emphasised that a belter standard of living could only come through higher efficiency and greater production. Indeed, If we did not pay particular attention to the aspect oi increased output per head, we might find ourselves with a falling national income, and therefore a falling standard ot life.

“If we could increase productivity and over-all efficiency by 15 per cent, in the next live years," he said, “the total national income would be increased by over a thousand million pounds. It is not an impossible target, but it will not happen by itself; few good things happen by themselves. We have to make them happen."