N.Z.-MADE MUNITIONS

Grey River Argus, 15 February 1941, Page 4

N.Z.-MADE MUNITIONS

IN GREAT NEED Supply Minister’s Appeals I Per Press Association] CHRISTCHURCH, February 14. An appeal to every manufacturer and every artisan to pull together and to put every ounce of their energy into their particular work was made by the Minister of Supply, Hon. D. G. I Sullivan, in an address at a social held in his honour to-night by the Linwood Branch of the Labour Party. “I know I shall not appeal in vain,' he said. “This is no time for airing petty grievances, or clamouring for the moon, when we do not know the day or the hour when we may be beset by danger now threatening from without. Notwithstanding the difficulties that confront us, we can accomplish much, and thereby give an adequate account of ourselves, should the need arise.” Mr Sullivan dealt at considerable length with the work of supply and munitions upon which his energies were now chiefly centred. “An eat - nest effort,” said the Minister, “is being made in this country to equip ourselves with adequate defence, and world conditions have necessitated a programme of munitions manufacture in which our secondary industries are privileged to play a very important part.” In many quarters there had been no real appreciation of what domestic production could achieve, but he was happy to say that, alter a gieat deal of organisation and careful planning, some 130 contracts had been let for the manufacture of grenades, bombs of various kinds, mortars, universal carriers, tanks, armoured cars, .303 ammunition and a 1 thousand and , one miscellaneous articles required, for the three branches of the armed services. The basis of the programme j was, of course, the heavy engineering : establishments of the Railway Work- I shops, where a magnificent effort had | been ’made in providing other engineering works with inspection gauges, drills, chucks, and a’ variety of ancillary equipment to enable contracts to be not only speeded up, but also to be carried out with great precision on mass production lines “I have just visited southern engineering works in various centres,” said Mr Sullivan, “and I am very gratified with the progress I have witnessed. All concerned are entering upon their respective tasks with great enthusiasm, realising the vital nature of the work in maintaining our national welfare. It gives one a sense of greater security when one sees the excellence of the job being done. Batteries of lathes, drilling and grinding gear have been brought. together to enable the advantages of mass production to be*secured, but greater and still greater effort is required. We need the earnest cooperation of every employer and worker in the land, and I am sure we are now getting it. A large meeting of railwaymen pledged to me their assistance in every possible way, and I know, from my experience of them, from the things they have already done, that they mean what they say, and that they will do their utmost to advance the common cause.”