LINSEED OIL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17861, 6 August 1918, Page 4

LINSEED OIL.

SHORTAGE OF SUPPLIES

[Per Peiss Association] ' WELLINGTON, August 5.

The Minister of Munitions and Supplies has been in communication with tlie Indian and Australian Governments with, a view to securing supplies of linseed oil for use in New Zealand. The Director of Munitions at Melbourne has informed the New Zealand Government that owing to the requirements of the Commonwealth the export of such oil manufactured in Australia would need to be'restricted and a suggestion was made that the distribution of linseed oil should be controlled in New Zealand and prices fixed by the Board of Traoe. The Minister stated that the position had been somewnat eased recently by the arrival of supplies direct from India, although the local demand could not be fully mot. The shortage of snipping precluded any certainty of regular supplies being received from India. Ab long as no complaints were made by consumers that undue profits were being made by merchants the Government was loth to interfere, but the Board of Trade had been asked to watch the trend of prices and to take the necessary control if such should be warranted;