WHERE IS BELLEEK ?
SIR,—Rawle Knox in The Spectator of July 2nd suggests that Eire could increase her L7+ million worth of dollars per annum by concentrating on certain high-class specialist products, one of which, he suggests, is Belleek china ware. Does Mr. Knox not know that Belleek is earning dollars for the United Kingdom, as it is situated in Northern Ireland ? A signifi- cant statement was made in the Eire Dail on July 1st, by the Minister for External Affairs, Mr. M'Bride, when he urged the abolition of partition. He said Eire's adverse trade balance was £92 million in 1947, and in the trst quarter of 1948 it was £26+ million, and if the present trend con- tinued, it would be L120 million for the whole year. "Of the various political units that constitute the islands of Great Britain and all Ireland, the one solvent economic unit was the area comprised in the Six Counties (Northern Ireland) which had a favourable trade balance of more than £13 million. A very large portion of the export of the Six Counties went to hard currency areas." No wonder Mr. Attlee and company are silent when certain Labour back benchers urge the abolition of partition.—
Yours faithfully, W. EGBERT TFUMBLE. The Battery, Enniskillen, Northern Ireland.
Previous page
