TNAG-0389-FCO40-435-Visit-of-trade-mission-of-the-London-Chamber-of-Commerce-and-1973 — Page 58

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Nowadays people seem to be hypnotised by relative rates of economic growth that a country which is growing more slowly than others is thought to be - perhaps itself feels to be

in a state of absolute decline. This is of course nonsense.

I am the last person to think that Britain can dispense with economic growth or that we can achieve a juster society without increasing the size of our whole economic cake. But equally Rotarians are, I would suppose, the last people to think that economic growth is all that matters. To take

just one other thing that we rightly think so much about

now, the environment. Heaven knows we have our problems of pollution : but with some of them at least we are doing a

pretty good job. This year I have been for the first time

to Brazil and Japan, two countries with dazzling growth rates. In Sao Paulo our guide told us it seemed with pride that

the atmosphere in that city was the most polluted in the world after that of Tokyo. In London, which so many still think of as eternally wrapped in impenetrable fog, I cross the Thames at the start of each working day : and much more often than not, the light is of an extraordinary clarity and

brilliance. Some may think it going a bit far to say with the poet, as he stood on Westminster Bridge all those years

ago :

"Earth hath not anything to show more fair"

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but to me at least the new skyline of the City of London is tremendously exciting and symbolic of a future for Britain

which I am sure will be exciting too.

As I think now of that splendid view I feel very fortunate to be working in the City of London in the last years of my active life : and very proud that I thus have the privilege to-day of expressing to you, Sir, and to all your colleagues

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