MUNITIONS AND SUPPLIES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2963, 29 December 1916, Page 6

MUNITIONS AND SUPPLIES

STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER,

' On being approached by a representative of the Auckland 'Star," the Hon. Arthur Myers, as Minister in Charge of Munitions and Supplies for the Ex- 1 peditionary Forces, observed:— "It will be, no-doubt, recollected that Cabinet, after full consideration and after obtaining the reports, of expert engineers who inspected. and secured plants'of all suitable machinery La tho Dominion, came to the decision that munitions of war could not be advantageously or economically produced in New Zealand. That this decision was a wiso one is confirmed by tho fact that Australia has. after many attempts in the above direction, come to the-same conclusion as the New Zealand Government did two years ago. "The Government's energies have been directed to the organisation and to tho. affording of facilities in connection with tho maintenance of our primary industries, with the object of rendering the help of supplies to the Imperial authorities. Tho Tesults in this direction have been.satisfactory. The difficulties to bo contended fitli in tlus connection are better appreciated when one comprehends .that iho country's man-nower has been reduced by some 75.000 men. ' _ "In regard to military supplies for New' Zealand troops, which is ■ the branch of war-work particularly under mv charge," the Minister added, "I am pleased to be able to' state that the difficulties experienced in tlio year 1915 of obtaining in the Dominion sufficient supplies for our troops have been by appropriate organisation reduced to a minimum. Stocks of all important lines have been collected, and my Department is able to look well ahead in the matter "of requirements, which enables economical and satisfactory purchases being arranged." _ As an illustration of the quantity of goods required, Mr. Myers stated that, roughly, sixty million articles.costing approximately two and a half million pounds, have been arranged for and applied tn military nurposes since lie assumed office as Minister in Charge of, Munitions and Supplies in August last year.