IMPERIAL SUPPLIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16129, 18 January 1916, Page 7

IMPERIAL SUPPLIES.

ACTIVITIES IN DOMINION. ENLARGEMENT OF SCOPE. PURCHASE OF SCHEELITE. [BY TELEGKATH. —OWN CORRESrONDEXT.] "Wellington, Monday. The Imperial meat supply branch, established by the Government to control the purchase and export of meat for the Imperial Board of Trade, lias lately had its sphere of activity enlarged, for it is now dealing not only with frozen meat, but with cheese and with tungsten ores, which have, been requisitioned for the British War Office. The total shipments of meat to date, are 420,368 quarters of beef, 2,555,460 carcases of mutton, and 3,245,729 carcases of lamb, and the total payments for this meat have amounted to £6,480,395. Of the steamers in which this meat has been carried. 55 have arrived in England, 95 are on the way, and 7—the Limerick, Corinthic, Ruahiue. Paparoa, Nerehana, Pakeha, and Indrabarah—are loading in New Zealand ports. Estimates have been ! obtained of meat in store in New Zealand on January 15, and the total is 656,560 freight carcases of all classes of meat. In February eight steamers are expected for loading on this coast, with a total capacity of 794.000 freight, carcases, and in -March nine steamers are expected, with a total capacity of 929.000 "freight carcases. It is considered that with this space available in ships, and with increased storage space at many of the works, there should be no congestion such as was experienced in the early months of last year. Shipments of cheese have been sent forward in 12 steamers. The total quantity shipped was 46,464 crates, of a total value of £244,286. 'The total order of tho Army Council is for 15.000 tons, of which approximately one quarter has been sent. he branch deals with 270 dairy companies, and according to the capacity of their factories these companies are required to find their proportion of the whole amount of 15,000 tons.

Tungsten Ores and Concentrates. The deal in scheelite is a much smaller affair, but it is a great deal more complex than the cheese and meat business. Scheelite is a quartz-like ore from which tungsten or tungstx acid, used in the manufacture of special steels, is obtained. Before the war such scheelite as we exported went to Ge.rmanv, and British manutacturers of high C rade steels obtained their supplies of tungsten mainly from Germany. After the war had been going on for some months, steps were taken to set up plants in England for the treatment of tungsten ores and concentrates. It was hoped that enough tungsten ores would be obtainable within the Empire to meet even the present abnormal demand, and that hope has been justified. The production of scheelite in New Zealand is 50 tons a month, at which rate production can be maintained for some time. The ore is paid for according to the amount of tungstie acid it contains, and the Imperial Government insists that all scheelite purchased to its order shall contain at least 60 per cent, of tungstic acid. The price paid is 65? per unit. If a ton of scheelite contains 60 per cent. of tunestic acid the Government pays 60 times 65s a ton, or £195 per ton. Because of this method of payment the analysis of the ore is of .great importance. Government Advances.

Scheelite submitted for sale is held by the Mines Department until the Government analyst can analyse it to ascertain whether it contains the required percentage of tungsten. The results of this analysis are forwarded to the Imperial supply branch, and the, scheelite is shipped Home, for none ha* ever yet been found to be below the 60 per cent, standard. The analysis here, however, is only a trial one, and the Imperial Government pays on its own analysis. But the men who find scheelite here cannot afford to wait for months for their money, and the Government here makes to them as large an advance as possible against the estimated value. Final adjustment is made when the account sales from Home come to hand. Scheelite is found often in small deposits and outcrops at hich altitudes, sometimes along with gold. Many of the men who find it are prospectors"without means, and some such arrangement as this ha 3 been found necessary. The total quantity of scheelite shipped up till jjiie present is 66 tons 13cwt, of a value of £13,516.