TORCH BATTERY PRODUCTION

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 24074, 9 October 1943, Page 6

TORCH BATTERY PRODUCTION

MANPOWER SHORTAGE MATERIALS AVAILABLE FOR MANUFACTURE (P.A.) WELLINGTON, October 8. “One of our. products which from time to time has been in short supply is flashlight, torch, and other dry oatteries,” stated Mr D. 1. Macdonald, secretary to the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Feneration, referring to recent comments about the shortage ot batteries lor cycle lamps and home radios in rural areas. While the bulk of the output of the plant engaged in their manufacture was at present going to meet the needs of; the armed forces, the plant could still very substantially meet the full civilian requirement if it was not for lack ot manpower, which was the cause particularly of the immediate shortage of cycle torch batteries and other classes of torch batteries, said Mr Macdonald. : The company concerned arranged its production so that the bulk of its outpu for civilian requirements was conrined to ordinary torch battery refills, as these were the most essential ana most in demand for civilian needs. .Production of special types of batteries, particularly with tl>e present manpower shortage, materially restricted this normal output. For instance, for every thousand cycle lamp refills which were produced there was a loss of production of nearly 12,000 standard flashlight refills. As well as being more in demand by the general public these latter could be used (with perhaps some slight contravention of traffic regulations, which could well be ignored in the present circumstances) by cyclists as well as pedestrians and other civilians. It was understood that a limited number of cycle batteries were shortly to be distributed by arrangement with the Ministry of Supply. At present more than 60 operatives were‘required by the factory to get into full production on materials which had been available now for some months, but could not be manufactured because of the manpower shortage. If this was overcome it would allow almost the whole demand from civilians to be supplied by the manufacturer.