EFFORTS TO OBTAIN STEEL

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 14569, 13 January 1948, Page 3

EFFORTS TO OBTAIN STEEL

MR SEMPLE’S VISIT

Departure For Australia In February

Supply Position In N.Z. Becoming Acute

(P.A.) Wellington, Jan. 12. The Minister of Works, Mr Semple, will leave for Australia in the second week of February for a short visit. While there he will endeavour to facilitate the supplies of steel to New Zealand.

No itinerary has yet been completed for Mr Semple, but it is known that he will visit Australian Government and departmental representatives in Canberra. He will also meet officials of the Broken Hill Proprietary Co., Ltd. An official of the Works Department in Wellington said today that the steel supply position in New Zealand was becoming acute. Major State development schemes such as hydro-electric works were absorbing such vast quantities that little, if any, was left for other forms of construction.

A hint that he would go to Australia in the new year was given by Mr Semple during the discussion of departmental estimates in the House of Representatives during the last session. Mr Semple then said that he would “sit on the doorstep at Canberra until he obtained sufficient steel for New Zealand.”