London, Apr. 14. given the greatest impetus that British industries have been they have had since.1921 by the operation -of the - Abnormal Importation Act, Mr. Walter Runciman, President of the Board of to-day.
Trade, told the House of Commons
'He declared that Britain has suffered less than any other country from the world-wide shrinkage of trade, while her position gards unemployment was unique inasmuch as the number' of jobless persons had decreased by nearly, half a million in the last 12 months.
Encouraging results of the recent surveys lof British industries were reviewed by Mr, Walter Run-elman, the President of the Board of Trade, during a debate in the House of Commons this evening, states a Wireless message dated April 1 He most highly industrial country in Europe with. commercial activities still the greatest in the world. Britain's trade with Europe repre: sented until recently nearly one-third of her foreign trade but there had been a great shrinkage of European traffic. Britain would have suffered much more' but for the ction taken since last August and they. could look back on. the effects of that policy with some Satisfaction. "Imports. "of lay quantities of goods with which the country could most easily alford to dispense had been cut' and nionrecitals Bought from abroad for more pressing needs had been, har-
Mr. Runciman went on to say that the Abnormal Imports Orders of last. winter "appeared to have Dat down imports by wt least £8,- 000,000" directly and" between £16,- 000,000 und. £17,000,000 "indirectly. In the West Riding of Yorkshire there was greater activity than for years past, the mills having ceased short time' work and many of them now working overtime, There were signs of x revival in some, although not all, branches of the cot ton "trade. The manufacture of electrical machinery" w itx foreign market as. taining its Home customers.
In the measure of activity of trade was taken on exports tone, it would be found that Bei tain had suffered less from world shrinkage than any other country, Mr. Runciman continued. The de: ferease in the first quarter year was about £11,000,000. below that of the first quarter of last year, but whereas our diminution had" been eleven per cent. the United States shrinkage taken over the whole three months amounted to more than 35 per cent. That of Germany fell 21 per cent, of France 33 per cent. and of Netherlands over 34 per cent. British industries had adapted themselves to the needs of the present time and the working people had shown a tranquility and determination unrivalled throughout the world.
Britain might be wecused, " Mr. Runciman said, of slipping off the gold standard and sacrificing the leadership of the financial world but to quote Lord Revelstoke, "while we had given up our leadership nobody else had taken it up." From September 1930 to March 1931 the number of people "in employment had diminished by well over a quarter of a million. From the end of September 1931 (o the end of March 1932 there had been ai increase of nearly a quarter of a million in employment.
This. remarkable change showed the country's position had. improved by no ess than 486,000 in. employment. While every other country showed a heavy decrease Britain alone showed an increase in the number of persons employed, Over 390 foreign manufacturers, he stated, had in the last nine nionths contemplated the establishment of factories in Britain, whilst 70 British manufacturing firms were extending their works or setting up new undertakings, with the assistance of foreign experts. Dur-jing the last few months production had started in 43 of these fac-land are anticipating at present as the result of the Andes volcanic dust finding its way there, Also, the atmospheric disturbances in the upper air strata caused by the "Krakatoa eruption were recorded by observatories all round the world. Siccawei's records jatter the Andes eruptions may prove to have some small indica tion of them, but this is doubtful. Tt can only be ascertained after records of other observatories have been studied and the time interval between their recordings of such disturbances checked. tories built by manufacturers' of many different nationalities and covering a wide range of industries, all of which: wore covered by, the importation order of fast wine 'Mis. Runciman said he thought he could prophesy" that the same result' would follow the very wide Fange of duties which had since been imposed, although the iron and steel industry together with those of marine engineering and. shipbullding showed no material signs of provenient. "Their condition wag causing the greatest anxiety and three appeared to be 10 chance of revival until there way w marked revival in the world's trade.
In conclusion, My, Runciman that they would go to the tmperial Conference at Ottawa with a sent: ment strongly in favour of Imperial action. "Britain had advantages to sive the Dominions and they bad advantages to give us... The Gov-Geament was already making conaitable: progress in. sorting out Industries in which benefits could be conferred with the greatest advant-and the 'Dominions. were' also industries they'
in can most help. Any effort made to extend the trade of the Empire would not be on an exclu basis in the sense that it would shut Britain off from the rest of the world. "Having made secure the position in Britain the next stage was to extend traffic within the Empire and the next' to extend British trade along freer channels throughout the world,—Reuter,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.