CONTROLLER OF SHIPBUILDING

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLXI, Issue 15211, 28 November 1942, Page 3

CONTROLLER OF SHIPBUILDING

MR FLETCHER’S NEW APPOINTMENT. Electric. Telegraph—Tress Association WELLINGTON, Nov. 27. Tlie appointment of Mr James Fletcher, of Wellington, to be Controller oi Shipbuilding, was announced tonight by Hon. D. G. Sullivan, who said the control of building j minesweepers and anti-submarine j vessels had been exercised until now j by the Shipbuilding and Repairs ! Committee coexisting of representatives of the Navy, Marine, Treasury and Supply Departments, “We have already completed and handed ov.er to the Navy three wood and steel minesweepers,” the Minister said. “In the past few months three steel minesweepers have been launched and three more are on, th© stocks in varying degrees of construction. Hire© Fairmile II 0-foot motor launches have been completed and six more are nearly read,> for launching. “From this record it would be seen that the committee lias done a good job. Tlie position lias charged recently owing to the proposal to build in New Zealany a considerable number of bargeq/ lighters and small tugboats, some of wood and som© of steel. This expanded production calls for the closest possible co-ordination between the building construction industries and shipbuilding yards, end consequently Mi Fletcher has been appointed because as Commissioner of Defence Construction, and Controller of Shipbuilding he will lie able to arrange the allocation of labour between defence construction and shipbuilding according to priority needs.