BRITISH INDUSTRIES.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3324, 31 October 1919, Page 2

BRITISH INDUSTRIES.

COMBINING FOR I\IUTUAL AID. The manner in which big federations of industries are being formed in ‘Gl‘oat Britain is evidence that manufacturers intend to make 3, strong fight to‘ recover the posititiii in the wor.ld”s markets ]OSt during the war. Those in the iron and steel industry have been brought to realise in Great Britain -that the best means of successfully competing with large steelproducing countries like America and Germany, is t-o- co-operate more re-adily than has been their went in the past. A National Federation of Iron and Steel Manufacturers has been formed, embracing all the important firms engaged in the industry for the purpose of dealing with matters affecting that industry_ "

Another big organisation is the Fedcnation of British Industries~——an organisation of manufacturers and producers representing‘every industry of import’anee carried on in the United Kingdom. "That, if is explained ._ by “Trade and ‘Commerce Notes,” has no relation to the Trust, Combine, or Cartel, for the simple reason ‘that its members have come together for broad national purposes, and those ‘,:uI‘pOSCS do not include buying‘ or selling in any "form. In no sense is it a combination of capital ‘or in’rel'est.s, in the narrow meaning of the word; nor does a manufacturer by becoining a member sacrifice, in the 9:,-Jlest degree, his independence of action in the conduct of his business. The aim of this. Federation is to study the good of British industry as -a whole, ‘to secure the betterment of conditions of the workers, and thereby lay the foundations of ‘industrial peace. The hope is expressed that: “Eventually, by Winning for industry a voice in the go-verning counsels of the country, it hopes to assist in forming the national policy ilpon which to found a. better, happier B‘ritain than we have "ever known before.” A reliable estimate places the total capital of those connected with the Federation at about £4,000,000,000, and the number of employees engaged by these firms 4,000,000. Still another big°organisatio:l is the British Trade Corporation, which has a capital of £10,000,000. The fundamental object. of this corporation is to give financial assistance to British tramers and n‘lanufacturers, especially in connection with overseas ‘trade. The Corporation. is ‘nOl',—:l1'l’f.01l(l0'(l to operate’ as a competing contractor, merchant or tiracler. ‘