SHIPBUILDERS WORRIED OVER CUT IN STEEL

Chronicle (Levin), 16 January 1948, Page 5

SHIPBUILDERS WORRIED OVER CUT IN STEEL

Eeceived Thursday, 7 p.m. LOXJDOX, Jan. 15. Shipbuilding interests are depresseo by Bir Btafford Cripps' announeemeni that the allocation of steel for ship building will be redueed this vear b\ one-liftn and botli the Bhipbuilding Conferenee whieli represeuts building lirms and the t'onfederation of Bhip building and Engiiuieriug Unions which represeuts the workers, propose- to make urgent representations t'o tlit Governmeut 011 the cjuestion. PointiUt; out that last yeav's Cxovernment White Paper envisaged an increased ship building output during 1D4S, a spokes tuan for the .Shipbuilding Conferenee said: ''How cau we get 20 per cent more output with 2tl per cent. less steel? We are Ijeing pressed by the Government Trade Mission to Argen , tina to take more orders for ship> j because of negotiatious taking place I there, and we are also being asked to ! look into the question of giving Eussia ' part of our output. .Shipbuilding could, i in fact, do with 50 per cent. more steel . in order to moet all orders in hand. , We have tlie nicu, and. three months ! ngo we were told we would get more steel. It is no use indulging iy wishful Ihinking. This means ive shall have to slow down. - A 20 per cent. cut will, witliout doubt, eause grave unemplovueut in the industry. "

Clyde builders, who last year prc duced one-third of Britaiu's total out put of new ships, supported this yiew. Particular concern was oxpressed iu. Belfast wliere Sir Frederick Eebbeok, cliairman of Harland aiul tVolff, said the deeision would mean 20 per cent. l-ess employment in the area where no alternative employ&ent was open to tlie men. !Mr. Harold Wilson, president of the Board of Trade, has lieen visiting the shij.building areas in order to examine the situation at first liand.