BRITISH MANUFACTURERS.

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 3 April 1920, Page 4

BRITISH MANUFACTURERS.

AND COLONIAL CUSTOMERS. AXIOMS TO MEET ALL KEAS.ONAELE DEMANDS. A well-known Dunedinite, who is ..inking ti business tour of the United Kingdom, writing under date Liverpool, December 1, supplies the Dunedin ■'Star" with the following interesting , nterviow with a lending manufacturer in the North of England: Before leaving New Zealand the consensus of opinion in business circles seemed inclined to the idea that it would be many years before Great Briain could possibly recover her pre-war -rat us in trade. Opinion all inclined in Ltivour of U.S.A., and ready argument otild always lie brought to bear why U.S.A. would for years be the most idvastageous market. Such opinions were what might be termed "the aftermath of newspaper articles," and a few months' tour of Great Britain. together with a sojourn iu America, gives the lie direct to American preponderance in commerce. Great, Britain is one hive of industry. Enormous manufacturing concerns, which for four years, had 119 thought for anything but. requisite war material, have scl about the task of reconstruction to sell that not only are Home orders and demands being readier satisfied, but export-campaigns are now under consideration, for Britain is determined to re-establish herself in every market in the world worth ivhile, and take second place to none. I'he business policies of (inns which hardly ever varied for generations are iiider drastic revision, and principals, In whose hands are the destinies of the British had", are most anxious and •■•si.lv- ui adopt 111.' most progressive .. id rihVucii.us methods to suil the :i. svn.-ra.-ies of even- oversea market. 11 has been the writer's privilege to ~i,|ress directors of many of Great ririiain '- foremost industries, and on ~v , ry occasion has come away, harnessed with the sincerity of answers given. The manufacturers of Great Britain want it known, ill.nigh either U,o modest or busy to tell it them- , selves, that they fear 110 competition in the future, that they realise the war has changed trading as well as every j other condition of thing-, and that the ■..ation who will win out is the one which mould- its policy to please customers ill every market. Britain's (roubles are surface troubles. The graphic picture- of the English workmen crippling his country are too overdrawn. Labour unrest here is the natural sequence of Armageddon, and "| abour had and si ill has in this country a great deal to complain or. Employers, too, realise this, and the conciliatory attitude of the employer is on his own admission quite a new aspect Of thing-. They realise they owe more to Labour than ever before. and are straining every nerve to meet Labour on a better basis. In time this must merit respect and bring about better" feeling, a spirit even now. large employers contend, is becoming daily mere apparent. On every hand sign-' are not wanting thill the superhuman effort which won the war arc everting their influence to win out in the trade war. Up-to-date machinerv. mass production, better markeHtis facilities, better living ron(lili0T1, fo,-;.h„ worker, ~11 portend that Britain is not to be denied a first place in the sun commercially. This cannot ho a ll achieved in a day. but every Other day sees Britain pre lacing more and growling less. Bogeys of foreign ~„„l K, fUion ousting the Britisher seem ,„ l.'ave him quite unperturbed. Pursuing the even tenor of his way. with tenfold energy as compared to pre-war days makes the British manufacturer ■believe that the day i- not far distant when he can take up any competitor's challenge and beat him four points square. During the last three months the newspapers have been almost a quarter occupied with prospectuses of old companies -coking new capital tor development, and new companies seeking capital for establishment. Over £126,(10(1.00.1 has been subscribed in these direction-. Then, again, many huge concerns which for decades prior 10 "now were run in a happy-go-lucky fashion, paving handsomely but produring rot'near their capacity, have been bought out by enormous combines. which mean to produce to the limit and then develop and produce to the maximum. This is exemplified in the change of ownership of almost every cotton spinning firm in Lancashire. Mills with millions of spindles arc bring absorbed, by new management, which is adding millions more spindles, finding

emplovment for «iousan<rs more «u«. ers, and markets for the increased production. The steel trade is also an example of increased production. Up-to-date machinery saving labour. milHuns more capital, mass production has revolutionised the steel industry, ami British steel is leaving nothing undone to produce as cheaply and market as capably as competitors oversea?. The Britisher the while is not bemoaning Ids past or present lot. He knows that being first in the war and last out is a big handicap, but quiet conCdencc makes it clearly Hnderstood" that, despite all disabilities, he will yet outpace the competitor who was last in the war end first out. The Britisher •oesn'r complain if his most serious ■rade rival forces his pound down til! it is worth 3«s Sd.