Le Nord : revue internationale des Pays de Nord - 01.06.1938, Page 141

CHRONIQUE TRIMESTRIELLE
03
zugleichen, ist es trotzdem gelungen,
die Produktion aufrechtzuerhalten
und eine weitere Verschlimmerung
der schwierigen Devisenlage der
letzten Jahre zu vermeiden.
Das bestehende Clearing-Abkom-
men mit Deutschland wurde im
Februar 1938 ohne wesentliche An-
derungen auf ein Jahr verlangert.
Angesichts der Möglichkeit krie-
gerischer Verwickelungen hat Is-
land mit den anderen nordischen
Lándern im Mai dieses Jahres eine
Neuregelung der geltenden Neutra-
litátsbestimmungen vereinbart.
Das Alting hat die Regierung er-
máchtigt, eine Valutaanleihe von
insgesamt 12 Millionen Kr. aufzu-
nehmen, die auf die Jahre 1938—40
verteilt werden soll.
Tryggvi Sveinbjörnsson.
The session of Par-
liament (Storting) was
opened on January
llth; in the Speech
from the Throne and
in the King’s Report to
NORWAY the Stortin§ on >>the
state of Norway since
last report« certain items are of a
more general interest.
It is mentioned in the Report that
the average income per inhabitant
was greater in 1937 than in any
previous year, and the number of
people employed higher than at any
previous time. The budget for
1936/37 gave a surplus of 57.2 mil-
lion Kroner. Internal trade showed
an increase - of about 13 per cent.
Deposits in private banks showed
an increase of about 60 millions; the
discount rate of the National Bank
of Norway on January 4th 1938
was lowered from 4 to 3.5 per cent.
Imports increased by 42.5 per cent.,
exports by 20 per cent., but whaling
and shipping have brought large
sums into the country, with the re-
sult that the balance of payment is
positive and the surplus higher than
for 1936.
The relative number of marriages
was higher in 1937 than in any pre-
vious year of this century and
higher than it had been for nearly
50 years of last century — 8.2 per
1000 inhabitants. The number of
live-born children was 15.3 per
1000 inhabitants; the number of
deaths 10.35 per 1000. The popu-
lation of the country as on January
lst 1938 was estimated at 2,908,000.
In the Speech from the Throne
mention was made of internatio-
nal complications and the League
of Nations: »The sphere of activity
of the League has been reduced by
the withdrawal of Italy. But it is
my hope and wish that the nations
may use all their efforts to re-
establish to the greatest possible ex-
tent international co-operation for
universal peace. Our country will
and must to the best of our ability
collaborate in every step towards
this goal; at the same time it must
always be the aim of Norwegian
policy to keep the country out of
military entanglements.«