1932-11-30 — Page 7

THE INDUSTRIAL POSITION

IN. BRITAIN

LIEUT.-COL. H. L. MURROW'S ADDRESS TO THE ROTARY CLUB

DETERMINATION TO WIN THROUGH IN SPITE OF ALL HANDICAPS

A vivid picture of the industrial position in Great Britain, was drawn by Lieut.-Colonel H. L. Murrow at yesterday's meeting of the Rotary Club,

4

The speaker, who said that he had recently visited come 120 ongineering firms, took the audience over the chief Industrial dis- triots, giving a brief report on each.. The dopisted buying power of the public, and the threat to British Railways by motor forring were matters which were discussed.

The Hon. Dr. S. W. Tso, who has returned from a short holl- day in the North, occupied the Chair and several guests were welocmed at yesterday's meeting, including Mr. R. David of Lon- don, Mr. J. K. Steels of Manila, Mr. G. J. McCarthy of Shanghai, Mr. G. H. Wen of Nanking, and Mesars. O. Jackson, M. A. Cooper, P. E. Barker and J. P. Wingfald of Hong Kong.

THE WEST END DURING THE SLUMP

Addressing the gathering. Col Murrow said. —

Roads Improving.

So far as the country in Great I can't tell you with what relue Britain is concerned, the roads are taner i have been persuaded to give improving every day, corners are this lecture. I have consideratile being shaved off and surfaces in sympathy for myself, hat infinitely proved. Arterial roads are being more for my listeners. I will make made, and by-passes are built to no further excuse, because, as our avoid small towns. There are more legal friends would say--it sight and more motor cars on the road, be taken down in evidènce agains especially of the small types. There are more and more buses and motor Conches, in fact it looks as if one

[me.

The subject I am going to talk

HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1932.

This grid scheme has hit the eu-j I am bringing out these points gineering firms who manufacturs! because I want to show that Great! smaller power units, and seeins! Britain has had to face not only that one man's joy is another man'a the alump directly, but many other]. sorrow. While on the subject of forchs are at work, which have grids, one sees in many parts of inade it. necessary for the country Great Britain enormous pylons to adapt herself to altered condi dotted about the countryside and ions. spoiling very beautiful landscapes.

CHINESE INVOICE OFFICER

MR. G. H. WEN IN HONG KONG

the

An interesting visitor at Birmingham Doing Well.

Rotary Club yesterday was Mr. G. As regards flying, the programs of As regards the various districts H. Wen from Nanking, who has commercial flying actually in Great visited, so far as the Engineering been appointed Chinese Invoice Britain is not progressing at all and the allied trades are concerned, Officer in Hong Kong. Mr. Won's fast. Probably the climatic condi- found that generally, Birmingham office is in the French Bank Build- tions have something to do with, and District were best off. At

ing and he will commence his it, but the chief difficulty seems to many factories, there was a hum official duties on December 1. be, the finding of landing grounds and busy look about the place. Of Mr. Won's appointment in Hong close enough to towns. In so many course it must be remembered that

Kong is the result of arrangements cases those ara some five or six Birmingham, apart from manufac›Ì miles out and the total time taken turing motor cars, also manufae-between the British Minister in in completing the journey is pourea a vast amount of motor Peiping, representing the Hong shorter that by train or motor car. accessories for firms all over Great Kong Government and the Chinese Private flying is making on Britain, and there is a large hard authorities at Nanking. Mr. Wen's siderable progress and one hears ware industry frequently called, I duty will be to issue invoices similar every year of new clubs being form- believe," muck und truck trade." | to consular invoices issued by repre- ed. The British Aircraft industry The heavier Engineering trade in sentatives of other countries, is doing considerable export trade. Smethwick, which is just outside Returning to the subject, by the Birmingham, is not having at ali

a good time. summer of last year, dumping of.

The motor trade of Coventry, has is expected to square the circle and goods from all parts of the world on to Great Britain had attained not been depressed during the last work wonders. I such large proportions that some year, because Great Britain going other smaller Industrial districts sort of protective policy became off the gold standard, and the Im-such as Lincoln, Peterboro, Leices The London docks were port dutica added to these, made itter, Bedford, etc, and everywhere literally choked out with foreign virtually impossible to import for- one saw a determination to win goods. The change-over from Free eign cars, except at a prohibitive through. trade to protection forced a com price. plote re-organisation of the distri bution services, which took quite a little time to adjust itself.

десе загу.

During the last year, I have visit. ed some 120 Engineering firms, and it can be truthfully said that, al though there have been and still are, groat difficulties, yet one noticos a

::

Mr. Won was educated at. West Point Military Academy, U.S.A.

visited many

Generally speaking, I noticed, Sheffield Hard Hit,

and I believe a Government export Sheffield has been hit hard especi- reported similarly, that small co- ally in the Iron and steel trades, |gineering firms, directed by the but when I was there a short time energy and enterprise of one man, before I came out, manufacturers were doing better than large con- were in a much more hopeful mood, cerna. 1 noticed this particularly; and they had booked a few orders at a small firm in Warwick where The slump in ship-building has had an adverse effect. The trouble in they were full up with orders. One

many large concerns which during word Rationalisation,” as too a slump become unweildy. For in stance the English Steel Corpora- tion, a branch of Vickers' Ltd., have to obtain £5,000 worth of orders a day to cover their overheads. This with no ship-builditg going on, its limit, must tax their sales department to

alunat is the general industrial poki half of Great Britain is carrying determination on all sides to deal, Shefftold seems to be that there are hears very little of that magic tion in Great Britain during the the other half, possibly in more with the slump and win through.

sensus than one.

last year. I do not propose going, into statistics; I mean to tell you The heavy lorry traffic is increns- au accurately as I can what I per- ing, as also is the size of the sonally saw, and the information I vehicles, and no strong have the foundations of the main roads to kathered from reliable Mureey. Generally speaking. it is to the en-he made, that, I believe I am coy givering profession my enquiries rect in saying that a first-class rond now costs in the region of £110,000 were directed.

nile, where the permanent way of a railway costs not more than £40,000 a. mile.

Before actually going into thig subject, I think a short survey of the general progress in Great Bri- tain will nasis; those of you who have not been there lately,

So far as London is concerned, the trafic grows even faster than the arrangements to cope with it

The road competition against the railways has become very intense and it looks as if the lorry is get One becomes ting the best of it, apprehensive of the £1,200,000,000 of public money invreted in British

Pulling Together.

In many cases the owpers VT partners of firms, who had got taken an active part for some time, are back at work. This in itself has created a good impression and the feeling between employers and labour is botter than it has boen for many years.

,

!

Manchester.

were

me

מן

many have been caught by it.

"

In conclusion, as. I have already pointed out, there are many diffi culties to overcome, but these are

very refreshing when one goes into being faced and dealt with. It is

the works and aske for, we'll say, Mr. Thompson the G.M. and be great deal, some firms were work told by a workman that Mr. George is down there in the ma The Manchester area varied a ing but others were

very dead The General Manager of an En-chine shop." It seema & relic, re- Labour finds that their Trades gineering firm in that aren told turning of the old and prosperous Unior lenders have let them down, that there were orders about, but days when man and master under stood each other, before the paid and are now turning to their old in so many cases these

ast the whole equilibrium of In- told me that he himself was 'carry' employers, from whom they find profitable due to competition. He agitator and the Trade Union ap they receive

fair treatment. In ing out a contract for £100,000 and dustry in Great Britain,

The Speaker Thanked. I said that he had the option of many cases wages have had to be that he was losing £6,000 on it. He lowered and the men, after a cer either accepting the contract Dr In thanking the speaker on behali tain amount of discussion, have closing down part of the works; of the Club, Rotarian M. F. Keg accepted the new conditions, I know i and thereby putting some 1,500 men said that Professor Middleton As an example of what the rail- the case of a chemists business out of work. The responsibility of Smith was the man whom the Chair- In the West-end one notices no

where a man has a chain of mode sign of world depression. The re- ways are up against, an Armstrong 30 ahops. A short time ago this general manager under these cir man should have asked to return cumstances is very grave, and al- thanks. He took it that Col. Mur. staurants are full, and the theatres Saurer lorry with a trailer and 20 business was not paying, and though a firm can possibly afford row in speaking of the industrial and plices of amusement are all tons of freight went from London several of the shop managers volun- to lose on one or two contract, yet position, did not include the agricat tural side of the question. He said packed, in spite of Great Britain to Aberdeen monstop (a distancetarily proposed accepting a lower, they cannot make a habit of it.

Much the same remarks can he he might himself intot an address haying gone off the gold standard of over 600 miles) and used 18/-

made about the Leeds area as about on Rotarians on the Agricultural This is an interesting fact, and worth of fuel, the lorry being fitted the Conversion Loan being reduced Manchester Unis rain adivit position in Great Britain. In thas field, things were oven worse than in industry and he knew of an in- stance where the yield per unit per anuum was 18/- whereas the expen diture was £1.

do.

Theatres Busy.

apparently amusements

thrive in

bad times. I remember when I was stationed i Berlin some ten years ago--it was at the time that the bottom had fallen out of the mark -the same conditions prevailed in Theatreland in Berlin, and to see a certain play which I was vory

railways.

with a Diesel engine.

Electrical Industry.

wage.

Recently, owing to the interest on

from 5

cer. per

to dend this year, and whenever one por cent.. resulting In

mentioned Greenwood and Batley's general reduction of income, con name to a Yorkshireman the reply siderable hardships have been placinvariably was, "Oh yes, they paid The electrical industry, generallyed on the retailers who find that dividend." speaking, has done well during the their turnover is reduced, whereas Inat year. Here, there has been a their overheads are not coming kind of economic disturbance. The down in a like proportion. Government have launched out on

Smaller Firms,

Rotarian Key said that in one sense he was glad of the oppor- The locomotive builders in the tunity given to him to thank Col Murrow and added amongst much laughter that it years gone by ho of The was one of Murrow's Minion.

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AUM OS

CANTON ROTARY CLUB

INVITATION TO HONG KONG.

י

Hong Kong Rotary Club to be pre. Ront at that function.

The Vice-President, Mr. P. S. Cassidy, of the Hong Kong Rotary Club, minouneed that an annual dinner will be held in Hong Kong

It was announced at the meeting a large grid scheme to supply elec There is a considerable amount of Jack Lane district of Leeds are trical power and light all over the discontent against the Landlords, hard hit, practically no orders and

the Rotary Club yesterday that either in December or in January country at the eventual price of id who are holding tenants to their very little prospect of any. anxious to see, I had to pay 17/0 per unit. Incidentally one well-post-war rents. The retailers con- more enterprising firms are direct. Mr. Key was referring to the dave the Canton Rotary Club, which was and that it would be appropriate (in English money) for a back row known engineer informed me that tend that as the public have patrio. ing. their attention towards the when he was on the editorial staff formed about a year ago, will he for the local body to invite members seat in the stalla, and the audience he did not believe it would ever tically accepted the reduction of manufacture of Diesel Engines and of the Daily Press. He told the holding their first annual dinner on of the Canton Rotary Club to that

be possible to supply electricity interest on their War Loan invoet- they tell you of somchody who has audience that the name Murrow had consisted almost entirely of Ger- throughout the country for less than ments, the Landlords should reduce a wonderful engine building whicn' been associated with the Daily Preis December 15. An invitation has dinner. The suggestion met with

4d per unit, mans, not foreigners.

their rants.

(Continued on next column, Y

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