REGONSTRUCTION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIII, Issue 30, 5 February 1919, Page 4

REGONSTRUCTION

QUESTION OF RAW MATERIALS. STATEMENT BY AIR ADMSOhk The first number of, the, "British Board of Trade Journal” to be ed after the armistice was signed contained a statement ; by T)r Addison, Min.-, is ter of Reconstruction, upon available stocks of raw material. JDr. Addison is reported as having said; “The country wi|l desire tpdmow at the present juncture what stocks o% raw material are available dor < .peapq' production and what preparation, been made to supplement those »tpcls§ by importation during the difficult yea* that lies .before us. • X will deal firtt with metals, especially those which most vital to our industrial welfare, namely, iron ore, pig iron, and steel. There has been a great increase in oqr capacity for the utilisation) of jhoflfHß and arrangements are being -made wifjh 10 Shipping. Controller which will render it .possible To as large a quantity of’.foreign j?re .as was import* ed prior to the war. Tl is proposed to release iron and steel forthwith. The difficulties which may arise So lie fact that through the exigencies qf, war the price pi steel now stands artificial level have oYerfjjtif'!. id. and it-is intended To ders flying . for ,„.a -period a price for steel,,though -this may-inwove continuing some measure of GovejfPr, ment assistance that period. regard to pfher Imptals, Tain glad able to assure, the House that thene .;jp a sufficient supply available to ejeudet it possible .to spjne from control now, and nearly ,aU the-yfst we release', within six." months, dhm -sqpn£r winced, after,, a close survey «f the pp-. sition that we shall be able 'to meet the demands which rppopstri?,^on. make on our resources during that tiipe, - but while I am satisfied dmat be enough for all if it is equitably divided there must be no selfisp attempt pH the part of individuals id) secure mure than their share, and for this- pucpoap t may be necessary to take precaution? against hoarding. ... . u “I would like .to say a few words with regard to wool, cotton, jute, and leather. . . . The. existing control organisations have methods, already vised for the easy transfer from War to peace conditions with regard to wool, jute, flax, hemp, and other industries. The main difficulty is the shortage of* material, but the situation can pmjjr be relieved by a reduction in military ‘ orders. *T will/say a word on the vital importance of the work of the Joint Council of Priority, which has been established for some little time, because it is quisi clear that in some industries themaud is going to be much greater thpp we can supply, and, therefore, at'all events with respect to some of them, some measure of priority organisation we hope worked in the main by shj> trades themselves, will have to be iastituted/'