Overseas Interest In Steel Plans

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30233, 11 September 1963, Page 16

Overseas Interest In Steel Plans

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, September 10. Firms and organisations in the United States, Britain and several European countries with long experience in the iron and steel industry are anxious to become the consultants for a similar industry in New Zealand.

This was discovered by Mr E. R. McKillop, a former

Commissioner of Works and a member of the provisional iron and steel board, who returned this evening from a five weeks' tour of these countries. With Mr D. W. A. Barker, deputy-Secretary to the Treasury, and Mr H. W. Lownie, of the Battelle Memorial Institute of Columbus. Ohio. Mr McKillop has been inter-

viewing aspiring consultants and discussing various facets of the proposed industry. Mr McKillop said he and his colleagues had presented a report to Mr W. Fisher, chairman of the board, and if thia proved acceptable toraul proposals would be invited from a short list of applicants. The board would then make its selection and recommend an appointment to the Government.

Mr Fisher, who was ait Whenuapai airport to meet Mr McKillop, said between 50 and 80 overseas organisations had shown an interest in the proposed new industry, but a short list had been prepared before Mr McKillop and his colleagues began their evaluartang tour. “On all sides,” Mr Fisher said, “there is tremendous interest in the New Zealand proposal and in the preliminary work already done.”

Cadet Award.— A New Zealand midshipman, R. J. Pierson, of Lower Hutt, has been awarded the Queen’s Telescope as the outstanding cadet of his group at the famous Royal Naval College, Dartmouth.—(P. A.)