MUNITIONS DEPARTMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16503, 31 March 1917, Page 8

MUNITIONS DEPARTMENT.

CONTRACTS FOR SUPPLIES.

ENDORSING ORDERS FOR GOODS. A heview of the work of the Munitions Department was, given yesterday by the Minister for Munitions and Supplies, tho Hon Arthur M. Myers. The contracts j let to date in accordance with the esti- j mates of the military authorities totalled approximately £255,800. These contracts were for various requirements for the present year. Work in connection with the arrangement of purchases was practically complete, with the exception of certain, lines, tenders for which had only just closed. Early in June tenders would probably be called for food for the men and forage • for the horses, the present j contract expiring on June 30. The prac- j tice was to invite tenders and quotations' in various localities and submit them to' the Minister for approval, without whose authority no purchases were made. During the past year the business of the De-, partment had been conducted with satis- j faction to all parties concerned. ; Mr. Myers said that after next Monday, April 2, the British Ministry for' Munitions would not consider any appli- j cation for priority permits, giving prefer- I once of manufacture and shipment, unless J such applications had been previously • dealt with by the New Zealand Minister i for Munitions and Supplies. When, there-1 fore, any parties interested foresaw ! difficulty in securing goods from the i United Kingdom required in New Zealand ! | for domestic or national purposes, it would ; i be advisable to make out such orders on j the special forms which could be procured i from his Department. Orders thus sent j through him would be certified, and his j decision regarding them would be minuted on them. Two copies would then be I handed to the applicants and tho others would bo forwarded to the High Commissioner in Londcn to keep his office in touch with matters. By following the system described, said Mr. Myers, it was hoped that the trade in the Dominion which had hitherto been held by manufacturers in Britain would bo conserved as far as possible. It would be understood that consideration of new enterprises could not be entertained, but the Ministry would endeavour to deal sympathetically with orders for goods required to maintain present outputs in various industries. Mr. Myers urged upon local authorities and others, therefore, the desirability of allowing extensions of business to remain in abeyance until after the war.