GERMAN PLANT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22316, 29 April 1947, Page 5

GERMAN PLANT

REPARATIONS FOR N.Z, DELAYS IN SHIPMENT ‘ INQUIRIES BY FIRMS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, April 29.' New Zealand’s efforts to obtain machine tools and allied equipment as reparations from Germany are being continually pressed and a number of machines have already been allocated to this country. Arrangements are now being made for these to be shipped, but packing and shipping difficulties will still be the cause of much delay. The acting Minister of Industries and Commerce, Mr. A. H. Nordmeyer, said the position regarding reparations from Germany was still far from clear. Mr. Nordmeyer said that all interested parties would have an equal opportunity of obtaining any equipment which came forward since it is proposed to dispose of all material through the War Assets Realisation Board in the normal way. Hundreds of Inquiries ! The Minister said that many hundreds of inquiries had been received for plant and equipment of every description. It is not possible to advise, each individual inquirer whether the particular machine or equipment would be available. In general, however, the present indications were that many of the types of equipment for which inquiries had been received were unlikely to become available Heavy plant and machinery coming within the following categories would not be available; coke ovens -and basic steel mill equipment; cranes (factory), complete laboratories for steel mill and other types of factories, rolling stock and road vehicles, furnaces (brick bound), food processing and preserving machinery, dental, leather and bootmaking equipment, textile and woodworking machinery, wheel lathes for locomotive wheels. There wouid be no deliveries of consumer goods and consumer materials or stores In the light industry group such as that for the production of household utensils in steel and wood, the final details had yet to be decided and it would appear that the amount available was likely to be very limited.