WAR PRODUCTION

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 21, 26 January 1944, Page 4

WAR PRODUCTION

ADEQUATE MAN-POWER

REPORT TO GOVERNMENT

The supply mission from the Eastern Group Supply Council which recently visited New Zealand have asked for the retention of adequate man-power in the munitions and engineering and certain other industries in the Dot minion so thai essential military de* mands may be met.

It is announced that the mission, having completed their discussions with the military authorities and with responsible Ministers and their pro*. duction supply officers, have sine« leaving had an opportunity of. discussing the conclusions to their visit with Mr. Fraser and the New Zealand Ministers in Canberra. Mr. I. F. L. Elliot, head of the milsion, and Major-General Pakenhanv Walsh, in an official statement in. Canberra for the New Zealand Press, said they were very well satisfied with their visit, which has, they feel, resulted in complete understanding as to the essentiality of their requirements; particularly on behalf of the South-east Asia Command and has clarified a number of questions relating to the munitions production of New Zealand ! and the future production of a considerable range of engineering stores and other classes of equipment. They have expressed the highest appreciation of the quality of the munitions and general stores supplied by New Zealand, and of the production planning in the factories they have visited. It is well known that the com- ' mitments which the Government of New Zealand has undertaken m re^ speqt of the maintenance of armed forces overseas, the food production, and for the supply of Eastern Group Supply Council requirements, present, a very serious problem because of the limited man- and woman-power available. They have been able to mdicate the priority importance of munitions and other equipment which it is hoped will be of assistance to the War Cabinet. They have asked for the retention of adequate man-power m the munitions and engineering and certain other industries to ensure that essential military demands are met ana they have expressed the hope that full * understanding of the urgency of the situation may enable the apparent gap which now exists to be breached. When leaving they expressed the hope that their visit would prove to be a.s helpful to the New Zealand Government as it had been to them, and their sincere regret that time did not permit Of a Inngfir stay.