Depression has offectod some of West Germany's major industrial aectors, according to a Bonn report. Figures published by the Federal Statis— tics.. Office showed that industrial production increased by only 1.5 per cent in Jarmary compared with the corresponding periof for last year, le it incfeased by 5.4, per cent in January last year compared with the correspoMmling period of the previous year, Tho production of raw materials and capital goods industries drepped by 0.2 per cent and the, milding indutry even dropped by 53 per cent in January compared with the corresponding period last year, although the weather would undoubtedly account for much of this decrease.
Operation was below capacity in the Iron and Stedl industry last year owing to reduced orders. At present a number of iron and steel works have further limited the amount of production and dismissed workers on account of continued reduction of orders. For example the monthly production of the Huttenwork Rheinhausen of the Krupp concern dropped to 130,000 tons from the original 190,000 tons. The rate of operation at this factory wes only two-thirds of the capacity of production facilities, and its existing orders were only enough tO maintain production for two months,
The coal mining industry continues to close dewn pits and discharge miners. 900 miners were dismissed in Jamiary this year, and three pits closed in the Ituhr areas Dismissals are also increasing in the ship-mildin;-; industry which is going through a crisis,