BRITAIN’S EXPORT POSITION

Southland Times, Issue 24242, 27 September 1940, Page 6

BRITAIN’S EXPORT POSITION

MISTAKEN IMPRESSION ABROAD “Britain’s export position today is better than it has been for some months past. There will be shortages in a few lines, but definite surpluses in others,” states a letter which was received by the Invercargill Chamber of Commerce, at its meeting yesterday from a firm of merchants and shipping agents in London. “It is clear from letters which are reaching us from overseas that many firms are withholding orders under the impression that it is useless to send them to Britain,” stated the letter.

Quoting a newspaper review of the export position in Great Britain, the letter stated that when the munitions drive was intensified earlier in the year, it was necessary to cut the amount of raw material available for export trades. These cuts were now to be fully restored.

“It is considered that this can be done without reducing in any way or holding up the expanding programme of munitions production,” says the letter. “Recent steps in this direction have worked so smoothly that the inclusion of ■ goods hitherto left out and a further reduction in the quotas of articles already rationed are being considered. The recent concentration of the German attack on our shipping has failed to interfere with the replenishment of the stocks. Such is the efficacy of the Nazi counter-blockade! We are able to maintain an enormous increase in production of armaments and yet have sufficient resources to develop the export drive.”