IRON AND STEEL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 66, Issue 86, 22 January 1946, Page 3

IRON AND STEEL

SUPPLIES FROM AUSTRALIA RELIEVING POSITION IN N.Z. (N.Z. Press Association— Copyright.) (Rec. 10.30 a.m.) SYDNEY. This Day: Supplies of pig iron arid steel' which are shortly to leave here for New Zealand should come to the aid of New Zealand foundries in ample time to prevent the threatened ceasing of production. The Waipori, the first vessel available since the strike terminated, is to leave Sydney on Thursday with 2104 tons of pig iron and steel from Port Kembla and Newcastle. The industrial dispute concerning ironworkers which originated at the Port Kembla works of the Australian Iron and Steel Company Proprietary, Ltd., had the effect of diverting all the Union Steam Ship Company vessels from that port, with the result that no pig iron or steel was lifted from Port Kembla after the Kaikorai left on September 25. The dispute spread to Newcastle, and from the ironworkers to the coalminers and seamen, with the result that both ports- were out of commission for metal loadings so far as New Zealand was concerned. In order to keep supplies of pig iron going through to New Zealand, the Australian Iron and Steel Company sent supplies from Port Kembla by rail to Sydney for loading into the Karetu. When the first consignment was delivered to ship by lighter, tliq waterside workers refused to handle it. Accordingly this shipment had to be returned and the vessel sailed -with general cargo only. From then on the Australian strike closed d6wn on all shipments of pig iron, steel and industrial coke. New Zealand foundries have been feeling the pinch, as the reserve of supplies dwindled away, and last week a report from Wellington indicated that if a consignment did not arrive from Australia within three weeks, many foundries would he forced to cease production. The sailing of the Waipori should relieve the situation, and she is only the first ship in the resumption of the service. The Waipori carries 644 tons of steel and 6GO tons of pig iron from Port Kembla and 650 tons of steel and 150 tons of pig iron from Newcastle. In order to achieve a spread of deliveries as quickly as possible, the pig iron from Port Kembla is being distributed as follows: Wellington 545 fons, New Plymouth 60, Napier 25, Wanganui, Westport and Greymouth 10 tons each. * •,, , Suppliers of industrial coke say that there are no supplies available at present. In an endeavour to get some coke to New Zealand, space is being held in the Waipori at Sydney so that any offering can be railed to the ship just before sailing. By this, means it is hoped to get 25 tons aboard the vessel. Arrangements have been made for the Karetu to take 750 tons of pig iron and steel from Port Kembla and 600 from Newcastle as well as 100 tons of coke. She will serve South Island ports. This is a tentative allocation. Other stocks of iron and steel are offering, and fixtures will be made, as cargo space becomes available.