CO129-581-16 British propaganda in Hong Kong 18-4-1939 - 29-10-1939 — Page 82

Formation of New Companies.

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During the half-year to the 30th of June the formation of

commercial companies in Great Britain was actively maintained, and

a comparison with previous years hows that the stream of British

trading flows steadily on. It is true that there has been some

decline from the high level of company formation in 1936, but this

is not a matter for undue regret, representing as it does the

absence of more speculative ventures. The general conditions of

world trade have daturally not encouraged such ventures.

The total number of private companies incorporated in Great

Britain in January-June, 1939, was 6,513, with an aggregate capital

of £24,651,000, while in the same period 104 public companies were

incorporated, their aggregate capital being £5,500,000. Compared

with January-June, 1938, these totals represent a decrease of £5%

millions in the case of private ventures, but an increase of £31

millions in registrations of public companies. It is a sign of the

satisfactory economic situation of the country that there has been

an increase this year in the number of companies formed to deal

in articles of primary consumption such as boots, clothing and

textiles. The number of engineering and aviation concerns

registered was also greater. The new companies registered during

the present half-year, from January to June, embrace no less than

48 different groups of British commercial enterprise, the most

important being land and buildings, engineering, investment, food,

shipping, clothing; textiles, building, merchanting, chemicals,

electricity, gas and water concerns, and motor manufacture.