RAW MATERIALS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 81, 6 April 1943, Page 2

RAW MATERIALS

ALLOTMENT SCHEME

DOMINION'S NEEDS

Arising from the increasing tempo of arrangements for combined planning and production between the United Kingdom and U.S.A., the Minister of Supply, Mr. Sullivan, yesterday drew attention to their effect upon New Zealand and made a general appeal to manufacturers and importers to assist'the Ministry by meeting promptly requests that would be made from time to time for information as to forward programme requirements from overseas sources. "Manufacturers and importers," said the Minister, "will be aware of the measures adopted in London and Washington to combine raw material resources of the United Nations by means of combined boards, which will not only plan the use of

strategic materials, but will control production in both countries and allocate products according to the essential needs of all the United Nations. The latest phase in this wartime development is the recentlyannounced controlled materials plan, instituted by the War Production Board, Washington. The plan is a production measure partially replacing the former system of manufacturing priorities, and is designed to adjust production programmes to conform to materials supply, and allot certain materials to different United States Government agencies, •epresenting all military and essential civilian requirements."

New Zealand, as a claimant on United States production, must submit, forward programmes showing her requirements up to the end of 1944. These programmes would be used by the War Production Board for planning production and for making allocations on a basis that had regard to the best strategic use of materials for the Allied war effort. The effect of an allocation was that we would be placed in a position where our essential requirements might be secured, despite the growing demands by all the United Nations on American production. It was extremely important, therefore, that New Zealand programmes be completed as speedily and accurately as possible.