CRITICAL SHORTAGE

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 February 1947, Page 4

CRITICAL SHORTAGE

LITTLE GAS FOR INDUSTRIAL WELDING ENGINEERS’ DIFFICULTIES Garages and engineering firms on the West Coast are facing grave difficulties in maintaining work schedules as the result of a critical shortage of acetylene gas, essential for much of their welding work. Deliveries of,the gas have been behind for over a month, and there are indications that the position will rapidly become worse. Supplies of the gas for the West Coast come from Christchurch and it is stated that the supply firm has warned users that it will be extremely difficult to maintain even a small proportion of the normal supply for at least two months. Supplies of Carbide. Chief reason for the shortage of the gas, which is made from calcium carbide, is a Dominion-wide shortage of the carbide, which comes from Canada. The shipping position had an effect on the regularity of the supplies from Canada and there have also been difficulties in regard to metal for » the manufacture of the containers in Canada. The demand for acetylene gas for the salvage work on the stranded Wanganella also depleted Dominion stocks much faster than would normally have been the case and it is stated that the shortage of gas is being felt throughout the Dominion. In Nelson, for instance, a number of. garages have had to share the limited amount available and ration their work accordingly. In Greymouth the position is not quite so acute, but in many cases the amount of gas remaining in the cylinders is small and there is no guarantee that it can be replaced for a long time. Unless there is an unexpected improvement in the situation within the next few days it is certain that work requiring gas welding will have to be refused. Uses of Gas The use of gas welding, is essential on certain types of plate work, such as the bodywork of motor cars and bronze parts and the gas is also used extensively for cutting steel plate. Electric welding is not suitable for this type of work and therefore does not provide a substitute. The shortage of gas is further harassing garages and machine shops as already the supply of many essential materials, such as steel plate, has dwindled almost to vanishing point and the possibility of unemployment in the industries affected is foreseen.