SUPPLIES OF STEEL

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22585, 13 March 1948, Page 6

SUPPLIES OF STEEL

PROMISE^ TO N.Z. HYDRO & WATERWORKS MR. SEMPLE SATISFIED (P.A.) AUCKLAND, Mar. 12. New Zealand will obtain enough steel from Australia for hydroelectric projects and waterworks —“two things that concern us most”—said the Minister of Works, Mr. R. Semple, on his return from Sydney this morning. Mr. Semple has been in Australia for R month on a mission seeking steel supplies for the Dominion. “I got on as well as could possibly be expected. In fact, I got on far better than I thought I would. “I have an assurance that the steelworks will do everything in their pftwer to see that we get our legitimate share of steel. Owing to the very difficult industrial position today I could not expect a written guarantee. It depends whether the mines and steelworks function normally. “There is no guarantee of continuity of the supply of steel, but I have come back quite satisfied after a thorough investigation that Australia is playing the game with us “There are serious Industrial upheavals in Australia and production has gone down as a result of labour trouble and coal shortages.” The Minister indicated that he would comment later on the present industrial unrest in Australia as it had lessons for New Zealand.