WORLD SHORTAGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26719, 13 March 1948, Page 6

WORLD SHORTAGE

SCRAMBLE FOR STEEL MR SEMPLE’S MISSION TO AUSTRALIA LEGITIMATE SHARE ASSURED P.A. AUCKLAND, Mar. 12. “ The world scramble for steel is terrific,” said the Minister of Works, Mr Semple, when he arrived at Whenuapai by a Tasman Empire Airways Skymaster after a visit to Australia to obtain supplies of steel. Mr Semple, who had been away for a month, said he was given an assurance from the Broken Hill Proprietary, Ltd., that the company would do everything in its power to see that New Zealand received its legitimate share of steel. He was assured that the company would keep State hydro-electric and development schemes and waterworks projects going.

There were very serious industrial upheavals in Australia and the production of steel had gone down considerably because of labour troubles, coal shortage and other factors, said Mr Semple. Australia, however, treated him very well and he got on far better than he thought he would when he arrived there. Because of the very difficult circumstances to-day one could not expect a written guarantee as to the quantity of steel that would be supplied to New Zealand —that depended on whether the mines and works were producing normally. “ They did give us an assurance that they would keep our hydro-electric and waterworks developments going, and those are the two things that concern us most,” said Mr Semple. “In view of the very difficult conditions in Australia I have come back quite satisfied that that country is playing the game with us. She is having great trouble at the moment.”

During his visit, Mr Semple went to Canberra and conferred with the Prime Minister, Mr Chifley. He later went to Melbourne and saw the chief general manager of the Broken Hill Proprietary Company, Mr Essington Lewis. He also went to the company’s works at Newcastle to investigate the conditions, and had long talks with the works manager. Mr Semple, who was accompanied by Mrs Semple, his private secretary, Mr A. K. Doyle, and Mrs Doyle, said he would not be going on to India to continue his quest for steel. He found when he was in Australia that India had big orders for steel from the Broken Hill Company, so there would be no point in going to that country. Whether he would go to. England and the United States as originally planned depended on Cabinet. He stated it was' intended before he left New Zealand that he should return immediately after his visit to Australia and report progress. He thought it would be hopeless trying to obtain steel from Britain as that country was ordering steel from Australia. The object of the proposed mission to Fngland, however, was to expedite supplies of machinery reauired for some of the country’s vital works schemes.

There was a definite world shortage of steel, said the Minister, and many countries were trying to obtain supplies from Australia. When he left Mr Lewis’s office in Melbourne an official from Hongkong was waiting for an interview for the same purpose. “If we can carry on with our development works we are fortunate,” said Mr Semple, “ and I think we can do that after my visit to Australia.”