WORK OF MUNITIONS DEPARTMENT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3042, 31 March 1917, Page 13

WORK OF MUNITIONS DEPARTMENT

!'..■'■■ •■■:■•• '..■.:■ f INTERVIESV WITH HON. A. MYERS V- ' BIG CONTRACTS FOR ARMY j 'NEEDS PRIORITY PERMITS ;.'■■•■-'.•• By Telegraph—Press Association,' _■••■,•• Auoftland, March 30. In the course of an interview,' the ?f° n "-.L.- Arthur Myers, Minister of Munitions, stated that in accordance with estimates prepared by tho military authorities,'various contracts had ..'■; now;been let by the Department J Munitions to the Value of, approximately, £255,800, to secure various -. x articles required. Deliveries would.be ■spread over the present calendar year, •' and would comprise footwear, underclothing, headgear, uniforms, clothing, ' ■ articles of equipment, and general hardware. At present the work connected with the 'arranging of the purchase- . • -was practically"complete, with the exception 6f officers' boots, v mess tin covers, kit bags, sea kit'bags, first field dressings, and tin plates, fenders for which closed on March 28 and March 30. In regard to'the food'for the men and forage for the horses, the practice of his Department was to call for tenders with a spread of deliveries over ',• four ..months. Existing contracts terminated on June--80,' s and' tenders would' . probably be invited for further sr.pI plies-early-in that month. "It is satisfactory to record that the business .'generally has during, the last twelve •■ months been conducted with apparently every, satisfaction to all parties interested," said the" 'Minister.- :'.'•' ," Priority Permits. N Roferring to the recent extension of ' the business now being undertaken by the Munitions Department in connection with priority permits, tho Minis- ■':' ter remarked that' the system 6'et down ... had really been the growth of repre-. '. sentatious "by. the Government to tlte High Commissioner, who had , suceess- .... fully handled the business by passing .such representations to the" British . Ministry'.- of. Munitions, with very satisfactory iresults. .Dp to date per,-., inits. had been granted by the British Ministry .of Munitions,, giving preference of manufacture and shipment on evidence collected by them from various . sources../.A certain, proportion of such ... . ■ evidence, had beon supplied 'through his Department, r The' Minister of Muni- - ■ - tionsin London had announced {hat from April 1 it would not consider any ~ application made to it in London for a • . •/. priority .permit, unless such application '. had been previously, dealt with by the Minister.of Munitions and Supplies in New Zealand. Where difficulty was anticipated' in securing goods from the .'. United Kingdom it would bo advisable to make out such, orders ou special forms obtained from tho New Zealand Munitions Department. By following the systeni laid down by the Ministry of Munitions it was hoped that trade j in the Dominion,;, which had l hitherto .' been held by manufacturers in the United Kingdom, would be conserved as far as circumstances obtaining through the. war would permit. "It will be readily understood and appreciated by all institutions," said Mr. Myers, "that the Ministry, in finally considering local decisions, will not be . able to entertain favourable considera- : tion for new enterprises, but will endeavour to: deal sympathetically with orders for goods required. to maintain . .- . Y the present outputs. jn.yarious indus- .'" , tries. I 'form a patriotic point of ■ •'■■• view, and desire to point out to local . . and others the desirability of letting extensions, of business remain in.-abeyance till after ,the war." -J