WAR PRODUCTION

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24801, 15 February 1946, Page 4

WAR PRODUCTION

NEW ZEALAND’S WORK PRAISED

TRIBUTE BY BRITISH MISSION Appreciation of New Zealand’s war production was expressed by Mr H. W. L. Kearns and other members of the staff of the British Ministry of Supply mission before they left for the United Kingdom recently. The High Commissioner for the United Kingdom (Sir Patrick Duff), the Minister of Supply (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan), and representatives of manufacturers and Government departments, attended a farewell function in Wellington. The chairman, Mr lan Matheson, a former president of the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Association, said that New Zealand as one vine of the British Commonwealth, had helped to prove the strength of the Empire’s rambling structure. The case for a continuance of preferential trade within the Empire had been strengthened. At the same time New Zealand manufacturers had learnt many lessons on modern production methods. Sir Patrick Duff mentioned that seventenths of the munitions and merchant vessels produced or used by the British Commonwealth since the outbreak ofthe war had been produced by Great Britain herself; one-fifth had been produced by the United States, and onetenth by the rest of the Empire. Great Britain had had great help from her loyal partners and none was more loyal than New Zealand. Major-General R. P. PackenhamWalsh, speaking for the War Office and Air Ministry, referred particularly to the production of miscellaneous ordnance and war supplies outside the engineering field. The British Government was most appreciative of New Zealand’s effort, he said. It had been' a great pleasure to know that every possible call had been answered, and in items such as footwear, clothing, processed foodstuffs, wallboards, insulators, radios, and hundreds of other items, New Zealand’s production had been of high quality and extremely helpful. Mr Kearns said that with other members of the supply mission he had been amazed at the ability New Zealand had shown in the field of industrial production during the war. On hia first visit he had realised that, in spite of some scepticism among New Zealanders themselves the secondary industries of the country could be of value. Experience had proved this to be true, and so far as engineering stores particularly were concerned New Zealand’s contribution had been invaluable. Circumstances had demanded many changes in quantity, specification, and type; but not once had New Zealand industry failed to meet the requests of the Ministry of Supply.