DOMINION NEWS

Grey River Argus, 26 March 1943, Page 3

DOMINION NEWS

MUNITIONS PRODUCTION. P.A. WELLINGTON, March 25 Two representatives of the British Ministry of Munitions have arrived i n New Zealand at the invitation of the Government to discuss matters relating to munitions production They are Mr. H. W. L. Kearns. Chairman o~ the Eastern Group Requirements Committee, and Mr. H. J. E. Hewlett, who is in charge of machine tool control in the Eastern Group section They are accompanied by Mr. N.' K. S. Brodribb, Assistant-Di-rector-General of Munitions, Australia. ■ MEAT DEHYDRATION. P.A. WELLINGTON, March 25. “The first extensive meat dehydration plant to be erected in New Zealand was put into operation on Tuesday,” said the Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Barclay). “This plant which is situated in the Wellington Province, has been built as a result of a request from the British Ministry of Food with which the New Zealand Government has contracted to supply 2,500 tons of dried meat during the present calendar year, lhe capacity of the P lant ' in full ing order, will be 5,000 tons of dned meat per annum. O n a normal conversion basis this is equivalent to ap : proximately 25,000 tons of boned meat,” he _ . P.A. WELLINGTON, March .25. In consequence of the Prime Minister’s statement that the matter of increasing the disability pension will be - considered at the next Parliamentary session the New Zealand R e " turned Services’ Association’s Dominion Executive has spent considerable time reviewing the question, says a report issued by the Association. Discussions have been held with the War Amputees’ Association and with the Second N.Z.E.F. members co-opted on the Wellington R.S.A. Committee. The report adds that it is expected that the matter will be considered by all local Associations and discussed at a Council meeting next May. It recalls that the Commission set up by the Government in 1923 agreed that the disability pension should be increased but granted an increase by way of an economic pension, which, in effect, meant that the disabled soldier struggling along in employment obtained no benefit.

INCREASE IN WOOL PRODUCTION.

PA. AUCKLAND, March 25. The proceeds of the wool appraisal in Auckland from March 4, to 7 bring the total cheque for the season to £1,629,038, compared with £1,385,905 for the corresponding five appraisals last season. So far this season, 83,813 bales have been handled against 80,624 in 1941-42. There are indication's that fthis iseason’,3 clfp will exceed last season’s record of 103,612 bales, valued at £1,770,742. Two further appraisals are listed for the March appraisal; 23,862 bales were valued at £459,360, an average of £l9 5s per bale, and 12.85 d per lb.