BIG CONTRACT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 90, 17 April 1941, Page 8

BIG CONTRACT.

ARMY BISCUITS.

NINE THOUSAND TONS.

COST ABOUT £1,000,000.

In order to relieve the strain on the Commissariat Department of the British Army, contracts involving the manufacture of between 8000 and 9000 tons of army biscuits have been accepted by eight New Zealand biscuit manufacturers. the supply involving a sum of approximately £1,000,000. This in about only three-quarters of t lie quantity required, but owing to plant limitations and labour conditions it is the maximum effort that can he made under

present conditions

It would be possible for the manufacturers to ship the full 12,000 toils dr-kecl for with the present facilities throughout Now Zealand provided the unions and the Government would agree to the working hours for girls being extended in the industry. The 12,000 tone and more could then be supplied.

This large order will seriously affect biscuit making for domestic consumption and many fancy lines will go off tile market. "'I have 110 doubt that the New Zealand public will be sympathetic with the manufacturers and will accept the position complacently," said Mr. I. P. O'Connor, general manager of

Bycroft's Limited, to-day, when reviewing the position arising out of the army contracts. He said that when the consumers found that they were unable to purchase all the varieties they were accustomed to they would realise that they were making a further contribution to the war effort. "A restricted list of popular selling lines will be issued and supplies of these will be maintained," he added.

Asked if the reduced supply for the local market would have an effect upon the retail price, Mr. O'Connor said he could see no reason why it should. In any case that was a matter for the Price Tribunal. "Hard Tack." These service biscuits. generally referred to as ' hard tack," will consist of two parts wheatnical and one part flour. For every 2801b sack of flour there will be 181b of sugar and 151b of milk powder. Other ingredients will include soda, salt and ammonia. The biscuits will contain only four per cent of moisture as compared with nine per cent moisture in ordinary biscuits. The Army Department specifications provide for a standard-sized biscuit, all measurements being given, but Xew Zealand manufactnreis have found that they cannot all lie made to standard size, as the cutters or dies are not in the country, and would have to be procured from England. To overcome this difficulty it has been decided that each packet be of a uniform weight of six ounces, the biscuits being of the specified content. The 12,000 tons asked for was found to be greater than the capacity of the factories if they were to conserve a portion of their output t\.r tiic Xew Zealand consumer, and it was decided, therefore, that an endeavour should be made to supply approximately 75 per cent of the quantity the War Office indicated it could take. It was realised by the manufacturers that it would be impossible to get additional plant of the type required without Ion" delay.

The eight firms involved are as follows:—BycrofU?, Ltd., Auckland; Griffin and Sons. Wellington: Aulsebrook and Co.. C'hristcliurch: Cadbury, Fry, Hudson, Ltd., Dunedin; Macintosh", Calev, Phoenix, Ltd., Dunedin; D. Ivingsland and Sons, Invercargill; Southern °Cross Biscuit Co., Ltd., Wanganui; J. R. Bruce, Ltd., Tirnani. All these firms will supplypro rata to their production capacity. Timber and Tin. The six-ounce packets of biscuits will be wrapped in grease-proof paper and placed in tins. 50 packets going to each tin. I here will be two tins in each case shipped, the weight being 37Jlb. The manufacture of the cases will .be a big undertaking itself, as each 100 tons of biscuits will require 45,000 superficial feet of pinus ineignis, worth £500. In all, there will be 6000 cases required for each 100 tons of biscuits, involving over 4,000.000 superficial feet of timber. Large quantities of tin plate will also be requited, and while there is a fairly good supply in the country at the -present time, the Marketing Department will make arrangements for any additional imports necessary. For every 100 tons of biscuits 12,000 tins will be needed. 1 he labour problem involved doee not appear to be a serious one, as the hands released from biscuit making for th» domestic market will be engaged in the manufacture and .wrapping of service biscuits.

All oversea requirements, in addition to tin plate, sucli as paper, soda and other ingredients, will be made available through the Internal Marketing Department, which is acting as agent for the Commissariat Department of"the British Armv.

Mr. O'Connor said that wheat and flour supplies would not be overstrained, on account of tlie reduction in the manufacture of biecuite for domestic supply. He understood that Australia was also being asked to supply a similar order. Last month the British Government asked the Xcw Zealand Government what quantity of service biscuits Dominion factories could produce and also inquired concerning prices and other detail-. As a result, manufacturers submitted proposals which included the difficulty of plants not being standardised for the manufacture oT certain shapes desired. Subsequently, representatives of the factories met a representative of the British War Office and submitted samples, the contract following.