STEEL INDUSTRY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 142, 18 June 1938, Page 10

STEEL INDUSTRY.

PRELIMINARY WORK.

A NEW DEPARTMENT.

EXPLANATION BY MINISTER. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) NELSON, this day. The Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, in an interview at Takaka to-day, referred t i the published statement recently made by him to the effect that no major ste[xwith regard to the iron and steel industry would be taken until survey work on the deposits of iron ore and coal Im>l been carried to a point where he In <1 the engineers and surveyors' evidence of proved ore and coal, its exact location and the result of sampling.

He stated that this work and other preliminary work, such as the mapping of the sea bed at Onekaka, was beii:;: carried out as expeditiously as possible, and discussions were taking place with the Government's consulting engineers in London in regard to certain technical questions. This work required considerable organisation, and as the evidence collected would form the basis on whi h the ultimate organisation would grow, and major decisions be made, the Government had deemed it advisable to form a separate Department, which would be called the State Iron and Steel Department.

As outlined in the Act, commissions would be responsible for the administration of the Act and the successful working of the industry. The Minister in charge of the State Iron and Steel Department and of the commissions would, however, lay down the policy an.l would be in close touch with all major decisions, and developments in the industry.

In view of the Government's decision, the nucleus of tlio new Department had been arranged by the Public Service commissioners, and it would in future operate liniler the designation of the State Iron and Steel Department ainl the iron and steel commission. It would for some time he a small organisation only, and would be responsible for tin-co-ordination of all preliminary work and for ensuring that all the necessary evidence was obtained so that, when major decisions in regard to the construction programme had to be made, the Minister and the commissions eoul.l make such decisions immediately on the fact and evidence that had been obtained independently by their own organisation.