Intriguing Scheme for Post-war Disposal
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THE disposal of stores which will be surplus after the war is being considered by a special committee appointed by the London Chamber of Commerce last November. It has submitted a report to the Council, which is of considerable interest.
It states that, to eliminate speculative profit, the Government should be urged to entrust disposal work to nonprofit-making companies, specially set up for the purpose, on the basis of a commission sufficient to cover cost.
There should be: (a) a central company working with a nominal capital, of which 51 per cent, should be in the hands of the Government, and controlling the policy of commodity-disposal companies, the directors 'to comprise a producer appointed by the national manufacturing interests; a wholesale distribiitor elected by the national merchant interests; an export merchant elected by the national general export merchants' group; a Government nominee; and a representative of the trade unions; (b) commodity-disposal companies, each representing an industry or group of industries, and controlled by a board representative of the same interests as control the central company, but, with the exception of the Government nominee, elected by the organizations covering the commodities with which the respective companies will be dealing, with the addition, in appropriate cases, of a raw-material importer and of representatives of such interests as would complete the cycle of manu facturing and sales operations. The capital of each company would be nominal, the central company to hold 51 per cent.
The Government should agree with each commodity-disposal company upon a rate of commission to cover costs, any balance being devoted to the funds of the appropriate trade association or benevolent society.
To expedite and simplify the .work, all stocks should be• surrendered to these companies and catalogued, supplies needed by the Services thereafter being indented for by them. Apart from Service requirements, all sales should be made through the recognized trade channels.
It is suggested that the organization should begin immediately, and that the Government should, so soon as possible, 'divide the country into areas, so' that, within these, all Government depots may, so soon as hostilities , cease, be divided into categories (a) according to whether they are to be so retained permanently; (b) immediately closed and disposed of with their contents; (c) evacuated early or later; (d) utilized as area central collecting depots.
A land and building disposal company should also be formed to take over land and/or buildings remaining for disposal. As to the export trade, certain material should be exported to create a demand for the future. For example; • road-making plant and lorries could be given or sold at a nominal price to undeveloped countries. The Machinery proposed might also be employed in the disposal of goods salvaged from bombed premises. .