ARMY STORES HELD IN N.Z.

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24987, 23 September 1946, Page 4

ARMY STORES HELD IN N.Z.

STRATEGIC RESERVE FOR BRITAIN STATEMENT BY MINISTER OF DEFENCE (From Our Parliamentary 'Reporter.) WELLINGTON, September 22. Military stores valued at approximately £2,800,000 are being held by the New Zealand Army as a strategical reserve on behalf of the United Kingdom Government. This was revealed yesterday oy the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) when he discussed the disposition of stores and equipment held by the Army at the end of the war, valued at £69,000,000, and the organisation necessary to maintain stocks which have been retained.

Mr Jones said that New Zealand, in addition to holding a strategical reserve of stores, was also doing extensive provisioning for other armies and services of the British Commonwealth,. through the New Zealand Defence Services’ Provision Office. This organisation was holding stores to the value of £1,400,000, which were awaiting shipment. In addition it was holding stores to the value of £3,700,000, which were being disposed of through the War Assets Realisation Board on behalf of the United Kingdom Government.

Mr Jones said that of the £69,000,000 worth of equipment he had mentioned, £13,000.000 was accounted for by gun ammunition, £14,000,000 by motor transport of a specialist type for War purposes, including £9,000,000 in tanks and £3,000,000 in spare parts, and £3,000,000 by small arms ammunition. Accounted for in the remainder were items such as guns, small arms, engineering stores, and vast signal stores. New Zealand’s one division in the field on V-J Day was in Italy. There the store situation was relatively easy of settlement. The division was in the possession of equipment, the property of New Zealand, which had cost £4,000,000, plus expensive and elaborate equipment of the 4th Armoured Brigade of lease-lend origin from the r lores of the United Kingdom. Of New Zealand’s own equipment approximately one-third was sent to Japan. Of the remainder selected items were returned to New Zealand. This selection comprised in the main antitank guns of a design of which none was held in this country, some automatic weapons, and large quantities of medical stores which could be used to complete war reserves and some of which had become available for disposal through civilian channels. The balance was handed over to a representative of the British Ministry of Supply of Great Britain for disposal on behalf of New Zealand.

Equipment for UNRRA Large quantities were used as a valuable contribution in kind to the New Zealand obligation in maintaining UNRRA. Armour was returned to the British Government and the appropriate adjustment made by it. Equipment in the Pacific was returned and distributed to various ordnance stores and depots in New Zealand. A considerable amount of labour was required to recondition many of these items and a certain amount of this work still had to be done. The opportunity had not yet arisen to overhaul completely all the motor transport returned from this source. The setting up of agencies for the disposal of surplus articles had caused staff and accommodation problems. Obviously, said Mr Jones, it was necessary to retain personnel to provide for the adequate care and maintenance of stores, a difficult and important task. .Motor vehicles had to be oiled and greased periodically, ordinary metal tools of trade and supplies had to be • stored so that they were not subject to rust, clothing had to be kept so that it did not become mildewed or moth-eaten, boota had to

be stored so that the perish, ammunition had 10 .y ■ specific temperature ana moved physically from tu*} prevent deterioration, ana to be painted. The service ber of personnel were requ** sji work. Now that all joined the Army since tne ed and who wished to j have been released by month it had been for an interim force. Ims forerunner of the P° Sv ' o hld Army. The personnel w only used in looking gaU and stores but would 9 v| in various other acuvi Army.