EFFECT OF WAR

Taranaki Daily News, 1 November 1919, Page 10

EFFECT OF WAR

ON BRITAIN'S TRADE. WILL TAKE YEARS TO REACH NORMAL AGAIN That the war has effected many British manufacturers is evident. In the cotton line and lace industries there has been a decided change since 1914, and it ia estimated that fully three-fourths of the total available plant has been utilised for other purposes. Now that the war has ended, all the extensive plants in Britain will be used for the purpose for which they were erected, but it is estimated that it will take years before either of the trades mentioned will reach anything like normal conditions. It is said that the orders for cotton and linen goods already received will keep the huge plants working continuously before the demand is anything like met. '•The piano trade, so far as it applies to British pianos, has had a bad knock owing to the war," said a Wellington importer to a Times representative. "Very few British pianos have been made—l presume that all the available plants have been utilised for war purposes—and it will be some time before the trade will be restored. America has benefited considerably in this connection, there is no doubt about that. Americans have got busy on the details formerly attended to only by Germany, and the manufacture of cheap pianos has been their goal. They are succeeding, too, and Germany will find America a very serious competitor. ''The English pianos are good—though 6ome of the cheapest 'English' pianos were more German than English. The parts were manufactured in Germany and put together in England. As to Germany's position in the world of music? Well, many artists will not carry their prejudices so far as to boycott German music—they love good music, and will take it, no matter what country I it comes from.'' '