SHARING SUPPLIES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 269, 12 November 1943, Page 4

SHARING SUPPLIES

N.Z. AID TO U.S.A. HOSPITALS AND FOODSTUFFS (P a ) WELLINGTON, Thursday. "We have done everything m our power to ease the supply problems STtiie United States authorities n accordance with the mutual a d agreement," said the deputy-Prime Minister, Mr. Nash, to-day, when reviewing lend-lease and reverse lendlease. "The total of goods and services so supplied amounted to £24,913,000 to October 31, and this assistance is increasing at a progressive rate." Mr Nash said New Zealand was providinf hospital beds for no fewer Fhan 8000 United States servicemen and already it was estimated tnat camps hospitals and other buildSS constructed for the United States authorities at a cost of ?8 790 000 had utilised more than half of the annual building capacity of the Dominion. More than 500 United States ships had already been repaired and relitted in the Dominion. Many foodstuffs were in short supply due to the diversion of production to meet the heavy demands of the United States forces, Mr. Nash added, and he quoted the following figures to show what had been sup-plied-—Boneless beef, 23,474,00010, pork 7 492,0001b; bacon and ham, 11,388,0001b; butter and cheese, 10608,0001b; apples, 8,733,0001b, fresh vegetables, 20,526,0001b; potatoes, 12,619.0001b; canned corned beef 7 033,0001b; canned vegetables, 3 579,0001b; sugar, 13,729,0001b; flour, 4i630,0001b; eggs, 1,718,374 dozen. "We, of course," said Mr. Nash, "are receiving a considerable volume of goods and services from the United States on lend-lease basis. To September 30, the total amounted to £47 380,000. Of this amount, direct supplies to the armed forces, such as ordnance, ammunition and aeroplanes, totalled £39,149,000. The ballance of £8,235,000 is made up of supplies essential to the war effort.