New Government Department

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 143, 20 June 1938, Page 7

New Government Department

DEVELOPMENT OF IRON AND STEEL INDUSTRY Per Press Association. NELSON, June 18. The Minister of ana uou. merce, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, in an interview at Takaka to-day referred to a published statement recently macK by him to the effect that no major steps in regard to the iron and steel industry would be taken until survey work on the deposits of iron ore and coal had been carried to a Doint where he had engineers’ and surveyors’ evidence of proved ore and coal, its exact location and the result of sampling. He stated that this work and other preliminary work such as the mapping of the sea bed at Onekaka was being carried out as expeditiously as possible, and discussions were taking place with the Government consulting engineers in London in regard to certain technical questions. This work required considerable organisations and as the evidence collected would form the basis on which the ultimate organisation would grow and major decisions be made, the Government had deemed it advisable to form a separate department, which would be called the State Iron and Steel Department as outlined in the Act.

Commissions would be responsible for the administration of the Act and successful working of the industry. The Minister in Charge of the State Iron and Steel Department and of the Commissions would, however, lay down tho policy and would be in close touch with all major decisions and developments in the industry. In view of the Government’s decision, the nucleus of the new department had been arranged by the Public Service Commissioners, and it would in futuro operate under the designations of the State Iron and Steel Department and Iron and Steel Commission. It would for some time be a small organisation only, and would be responsible for the co-or-dination of all preliminary work and for ensuring that all necessary evidence was obtained, so that, when major decisions in regard to the construction, programme had to be made, the Min is- j ter and commissions could make such* decisions immediately on fact.