MANUFACTURE OF MUNITIONS

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23053, 22 June 1940, Page 10

MANUFACTURE OF MUNITIONS

♦- — PLANNING SUPPLIES SALVAGING MATERIALS FROM PORT BOWEN [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, June 21. Material to be salvaged from the wrecked ship Port Bowen, >vhich went ashore at Wanganui last year, will be used in connexion with the production of munitions in New Zealand, according to a statement made tonight by the Minister for Supply (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan). The Minister also said that the suggestion of the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple), that tractors might be converted into armoured tanks, was under investigation, and experiments were also in progress for the use of trucks for this purpose. The possibilities of the of waste were indicated by arrangements made to salvage material on the Port Bowen, said Mr Sullivan. Several thousand tons of sound material had on inspection been found useful for munitions production, and immediate proceeding with this work would assist the present position. The Minister said that after the appointment of the Munitions Advisory Committee on Monday there had been a series of meetings with officers of the Navy, Army, and Air Force. The discussions related mainly to supplies urgently required in New Zealand, and those for future needs. Orders had been placed for work that could be done from materials now available in the Dominion. Investigations had been made into the prospects of making in New Zealand as soon as material was available not only small unit parts, such as grenades and mess equipment, but also armoured tanks, Bren gun carriers, and mine-sweeping trawlers. Mr Sullivan added that the raw material problem for large items became increasingly difficult in the initial stages of manufacture. Technical officers had been making inquiries in Australia for necessary material. It was hoped that in the near future it would be possible to undertake production on a very much larger scale of munitions in New Zealand.