SHORTAGES OF MATERIALS

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26205, 31 August 1950, Page 3

SHORTAGES OF MATERIALS

COST OF IMPORTED CEMENT STEEL COMING FROM BRITAIN Some improvement in the supply of materials is "reported the Commissioner of Works (Mr E. R. McKillop) in his report in the Ministry of Works statement presented yesterday to the House of Representatives. Steel, which less than a year ago was holding up progress on many projects, was now available iff reasonable tonnages. The main source of supply was the United Kingdom and, no doubt, New Zealand could continue to get most of her supplies from Britain for some time as supply from Australia vas still very restricted and showed little improvement. That was to be regretted as supplies from Australia could be landed in New Zealand at one-half the cost of those obtained elsewhere.

Cement remained a critical material, as the production from the three New Zealand works was quite inadequate to meet the present demand. Sterling funds had to be used to bring cement in large tonnages from the United Kingdom. During 1949, 27,800 tons were imported, and the Cabinet had approved the importation of 101,000. tons during 1950, of which 17,000 tons had been delivered before the close of the past financial year. By the end of the present calendar year, rnd including last year, sterling funds exceeding £1,100,000 would have been so expended. Those figures convincingly proved the value of the local cement industry to the Dominion and the loss which the Dominion as a whole was suffering because, for various reasons, the local cement-works were not yet in a position to cope with this demand. “Proposals for the extension of the existing works are now well in hand and there is, in addition, a proposal to commence manufacture of cement on the West Coast where the requisite materials are located close to the source of coal supjjJy. No assistance in this direction is expected for at least two years and it will probably be longer before local production can supply a demand which is increasing rapidly.” There had been, in parts of New Zealand, serious shortages in 7 he supply of bricks. The position was being examined. Although timber had generally been in much more plentiful supply, there had been, and still were, shortages of certain lines of finishing timber. '