N.Z.-MADE TANK

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 9, 6 October 1941, Page 8

N.Z.-MADE TANK

“Very Impressive Job,” Says General Puttick (Bv Telegraph—Press Association.) . CHRISTCHURCH, October 5. A "very impressive job” is how Major-General E. Puttick, chief of the New Zealand General Staff, summed up his impression of the 25-ton tank constructed by the Public Works Department. General Puttick flew to Christchurch on Saturday specially to inspect the machine and spent an hour and a half at Burnham watching it in trials over all sorts of ground. The Minister of Railways, Mr. Semple, and Mr. T. G. Beck, who were responsible for the building of (he tank, were present. After the inspection General Puttick gave orders that the tank was to be tested immediately under active service conditions, both to see what its own behaviour was when its armament was in use and to discover any details in construction vulnerable to intensesmall arms fire from an enemy. The general explained that tests were necessary to see whether cordite fumes from the machine’s own guns became Excessive when it was in action and to see whether it was resistent to bullet splash. Intensive machinegun fire and accurate close-range sipping will be applied to all points of the tank and its armament to discover any weaknesses.

Asked whether the tank, if it passed the tests satisfactorily, would be copied in numbers, General Puttick said that that was a policy matter. Even without modification, he said, it was a very useful weapon for certain types of lighting. It was powerfully armed and of sufficient speed and its only disadvantage- was its height.