RAW MATERIALS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23276, 20 February 1939, Page 10

RAW MATERIALS

SURVEY IN AUCKLAND USE OF SUBSTITUTES HELP BY DEPARTMENT A survey by officers of the Department of Industrial and Scientific Research to. ascertain to what extent it is possible to substitute local for imported raw materials will be begun in Auckland this week, according to a statement made last night by the Minister in charge of the department, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan. The Minister, in referring to the recent import restrictions, said these had raised many interesting problems regarding raw materials for the further development and expansion of local manufacturing industries. Scientific research would have to play an important part in the solution of these problems. The raw materials required might be roughly classified into four classes: —Raw material produced in New Zealand and of the desirable standard of quality, for instance, wool and certain kinds of leather; raw material produced in New Zealand but which was at present not up to the desired standard for certain higher-grade articles; raw materials at present imported but which might now be produced locally, as for example, iron oxide for paint, linen flax, linseed oil, sheep dip, certain types of twines, varnishes; and raw materials which must still be imported. Mr. Sullivan said he would be glad if any cases of difficulty regarding raw materials could be brought to the notice of the department to enable such advice and information as was available to be given, and to provide for the investigation or research necessary for the successful foundation of manufacturing industries utilising these raw materials in the immediate future.

ONEKAKA PROJECT TWO EXPERTS ON WAY INVESTIGATION OF DEPOSITS Advice has been received from the Herald's London correspondent that tho two experts, invited bv the Government to investigate and report on the Onekaka iron ore deposits, are travelling by the Rangitata, which is due at Auckland on March 9. They are Dr. Colclough, a director of Hi A. Brasscrt and Company, Limited, consultant engineers, and Mr. Scott, who is understood to be tho expert mining engineer for whom the Government has asked. Tho Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, said last night that the task of the experts would be to check up on the work the Government had been doing for months past at Onekaka in exploring tho iron-ore resources of the district. They would advise tho Government on the methods adopted in determining the adequacy of the supplies to establish an iron and steel industfy.