BREN-GUN CARRIERS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21759, 7 July 1945, Page 6

BREN-GUN CARRIERS

MAY BE ON SALE SOON TESTS OF POTENTIALITIES (P.A.) WELLINGTON, July G. As in Australia, some Bren-gun carriers may soon be on sale to me public of New Zealand. Tneir potentialities for civilians are being investigated. JJ&M' Brigadier H. E. Avery, general manager of the War Assets Realisation board, said it was understood that the Army Department would have some Bren-gun carriers to declare surplus, but the department had not Clone so yet. In anticipation of the carriers being declared to the board, the hoard had recently carried out experiments in the use of them as tractors and for general haulage and farm purposes. When the results of those demonstrations had been considered by the special committee practical uses would be found, it was hoped, for a considerable number of them. In that case arrangements for their disposal would be made. It was hoped tnat u good results were obtained from the trials, the carriers could be oirerect for specified purposes. If all the carriers could not be disposed of as complete units, there undoubtedly would be a demand for their power plants and other parts. Bren-gun carriers cost about £IOOO new. They are powered with a V eight-cylinder petrol engine.. Being low gelimd, they run only throe or four m\les''to the gallon of petrol. Like all- endless track vehicles, tnev are controlled quite differently from wheeled vehicles and the driving of them has to be specially learned.

There has been such a rush of orders from Queensland, New South' Wales, and Victoria, for the Bren-' gun carriers offered for sale at ±SO each by the Commonwealth Disposals Commission that the Minister of Supply, Senator Ashley, issued a statement recently, pointing out the disadvantages of owning one of the carriers. He said that the commission had decided to make a limited number of carriers available at a nominal rate to approved persons, to encourage investigation into the possibilities of their use in agriculture and commerce, but he was not saying that the carriers would be useful in either sphere. Some people did not, apparently,, realise the contract they were taking over when they bought a Bren-gun carrier. The first of these vehicles to be released by the army would not be guaranteed in good repair, but would be taken by the purchasers where they lay, from the army park. If necessary they would have, to be towed away. A novice would encounter constant difficulty with the tracks. i