SHORTAGE OF IRON

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2882, 21 September 1916, Page 6

SHORTAGE OF IRON

■ 1 THE POSITION IN WELLINGTON. A shortage of pig-iron is reported to > be troubling the ironfounders in the : South Island, where the suggestion ,has ■ been mado that some works may be ' forced to close down owing to lack of ■' raw material if supplies are not made -' available during the next few months. • The export of pig-iron from the Unit- ' ( ed Kingdom is prohibited at the pre- - sent time except by license, and checks • have been' placed upon exports from ' India. Southern firms have blamed k these conditions for the shortage they 3 are experiencing. Wellington ironfounders state that, f generally speaking, they do not sec , r reason for anxiety in the present posi--1 tion. Supplies of pig-iron are limited i in comparison with other years, but ! the foundries are in no immediate dan--5 ger of aa actual shortage, and inp quiries suggest that iron will be pro- ■ curable provided that shipping arrange- ' ments can be made. Prices have ad- • vanced materially, but that is the case ' in many other linos, and importers re- • cognise that the war has created a ; special situation. Sonio of the foun- ! dries had fairly large stocks in hand !. when tho war began. ' During the first seven months of the 1 present year the quantity of pig-iron and scrap iron imported into New Zea- <■ land was 4479 tons, valued at £22,203, 1 as compared with 5337 tons, valued at ' £25,632, in the corresponding period of ■ 1915. The figures, it will be_ noticed, 1 show a substantial decrease in quan- ■ tity, with a less marked decrease in ■ value, prices having increased materi- : ally in the interval. Much of the'iron ' has come from India, and some is stat- ■ ed to have come from Japan, via Ans- ■■ iralia,- but exact figures bearing on this development are not yet available. The Japanese iron has not a vory good reputation for quality, and the trade is regarded generally as a temporary ; one, due to the exigencies of the war.