PIG IRON FROM ONEKAKA

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23324, 9 May 1941, Page 10

PIG IRON FROM ONEKAKA

—♦ — PRODUCTION IN ABOUT TWO MONTHS STATEMENT BY MINISTER (P.A.) NELSON. May 8. Good progress is being made with the reconditioning of the Onekaka iron works, and it is expected that productions of pig iron will commence in about two months’ time, said the Minister for Industries and Commerce (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) to-day. “With the extension of the war and the consequent additional problems in securing and maintaining supplies of essential metals, prompt action was called for to ensure that our work in the manufacture of munitions would proceed according to schedule, and that our industrial effort should be interfered with as little as possible. "The Government and the War Cabinet some time ago gave full consideration to possible repercussions that might affect industry through a shortage of supplies of iron and steel, and every possible step was taken to build up stocks. All possible' measures were taken to alleviate the situation. Having explored every source of supply and every potential source of supply, we naturally gave thought to the Onekaka works and to the reconditioning of the blast furnaces there. A complete survey was made and a decision reached that the situation merited the reconditioning of the plant. “The entire plant is therefore being repaired and is rapidly being brought into working order by the Public Works Department. Good progress is being made, and I anticipate that the furnace will be ready for the ‘blow in’ for the production of pig iron in about two months’ time. So long as necessity justifies the operation of the plant we will go on producing iron at Onekaka. To do this we will require the services of scane 80 men. “In addition we have taken another very important step in the duplication of the small steel re-rolling plant at Green Island, Dunedin. The present plant at Green Island is capable of rolling a number of sections of round and square bars, and by duplicating the rolling mills a very welcome addition will be made to the existing production capacity. I hope that with this activity and with full co-opera-tion from all concerned we will be able to hold our position stable,’’ Mr Sullivan concluded.