IRON COMMANDEERED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23491, 31 October 1939, Page 8

IRON COMMANDEERED

GOVERNMENT'S ACTION REASON FOR SHORTAGE RESTRICTIONS CRITICISED [BY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] WHAKATANE, Monday The commandeer of iron by a Government department from the store of tlie Rangitaiki Plains Dairy Company, Limited, is referred to in a statement by Mr. W. A. McCracken, chairman of directors, answering a statement by Mr. A. G. Hultquist, M.P., who claimed that the roofing iron and piping was purchased in the normal way by the Native Department for its own use.

Mr. McCracken says that the iron was taken by the Public Works Department. The factory had obtained a largo quantity of iron and piping by judicious buying and a Government inspector came with three large lorries and took it away. The inspector also commandeered iron from Whakatane firms.

"The company's board of directors does not complain about the Government's regulations empowering the Government during the war period to commandeer building materials," adds Mr. McG'racken, "but the directors do i'eel that the whole country has been let down by the Government in the matter of supplies of some essential materials from Great Britain. Instead of having normal supplies in New Zealand coming forward from overseas at the time war was declared, we were desperately short of essentials. The position is even more acute now. In spite of short indent orders being placed many months ago for piping and iron, .the company's principals can supply nothing; nor can they give any indication as to when supplies will be available."