AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23915, 6 April 1943, Page 6

AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY

PURCHASE FROM UNITED STATES STATEMENT CLARIFIED Clarification of a recent statement by the Minister of Industries and Commerce (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) on the purchase of agricultural machinery from the United States was given in a statement yesterday by the president of the New Zealand Implement Manufacturers’ Association (Mr T. PL Lawn). . In his recent statement the Minister had indicated, said Mr Lawn, that the Government was arranging to purchase agricultural implements from the United States and had appointed an officer to go to Washington as technical adviser. Unfortunately, Mr Lawn said, the word “implements” should have read “machinery,” and this had given a wrong, impression of the Government’s intentions. The Minister had since advised the implement industry that the arrangements did not concern implements made or able to be made in New Zealand, but concerned only machinery such as agricultural tractors and large units unable to be made locally. As there was an 80 per cent, reduction in the production of farm machinery, particularly implements, in the United States, there was no possible chance of that country releasing such machinery for export except under the most drastic conditions. In fact, this was the main reason for the officer being sent to Washington to maintain supplies of more vitally needed machinery, previously imported, and particularly spare parts. The Minister reiterated the Government’s policy, he said, of fostering local industry, particularly that related to the production of farm requirements.