REVIVAL IN TRADE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 13, 7 September 1931, Page 4

REVIVAL IN TRADE

BRIGHTER PROSPECTS FOR BRITISH STEEL INDUSTRY VISITOR'S IMPRESSIONS A definite revival in Great Britain's iron and steel industry is predicted by an English business man who passed through Rotorua over the week-end and who is a member of a well-lcnown British steel manufaeturing firm. He stated that Britain was still unrivalled in steel manufactures and that the introduction of new machinery and improved co-operative methods, held definite promise of an improved , future for the trade. The erection of a tariff wall for the protection of the industry, was, he thought, imperative. At present England was the dumping ground for the world and her manufacturers were facing heavy handicaps in this connection. Despite the depression, however, manufacturers had not remained idle, but in those plants which were tiding over the bad times, new and improved machinery had been installed in preparation for a revival of trade which was eonfidently expected. Increased orders from India and the East were expected during the year and there was every reason to expect that eonditions in the trade would shortly improve. The production of stainless steel in bulk was a new development which hacf big prospects. This type of st-eel was now being extensively used in automobile manufacture and opened up a new avenue for British manufacturers. Ship Bailding Trade Although ship huilding was feeling the effects of the depression acutely, there were some encouraging signs in that industry. The new giant Cunarder at present being constructed by Messrs. John Brown and Conapany, had been pushed ahead so rapidly that it was now six months ahead of contract time. This had been made possible by a system of co-operation which had been introduced among the larger British manufaeturing eoneerns and by means of which different parts of construetion work were carried out simultaneously in different centres. Another outstanding piece of ship construetion work was the building of the new liner the "Empress of Britain." This was acknowledged to be the finest liner afioat and despite the intensive competition it was still admitted by competitive nations that British ship-bnilders could not be ^eriously challenged.