CORRUGATED IRON

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21574, 9 February 1940, Page 4

CORRUGATED IRON

Rigid Control of Sales

Big List of Prohibited Purposes If anyone desires to put a new sheet of corrugated iron on Fido's kennel, similarly cover a henhouse, or build any sort of shed or outhouse in corrugated iron, such desires should be forgotten at once. Under existing legislation these things cannot be done; in fact, there are a lot of things which used to be done which are now taboo. The control of the sale of corrugated and flat iron (and also of galvanised pipes) has been instituted by the Minister of Supply' (Hon. D. G. Sullivan) in order that the best possible use may’ be made of the small quantities now available. Builders, plumbers, etc., who have contracts awaiting materials receive prior consideration. Actually, corrugated iron, under the Supply Control Emergency Regulations, 1939, may be used only’ for the roofing of major buildings of a permanent nature, this being extended to include large milking sheds on dairy farms, large poultry sheds on poultry farms, wool sheds, and pig Houses' on pig farms. In no case, however, may corrugated or flat iron be used for walls of any building unless special sanction is given by the Minister of Supply Nor can any iron be used to construct advertising hoardings or billboards. If a man wants only a fence running round his backyard, that fence must not be of corrugated iron. No toolsheds, outhouse, small pigsties (as distinct from pig houses), open sheds to cover cars, trucks, implements, etc., may be roofed in iron, but flat asbestos sheets or malthoid sheeting may (if procurable) be used instead. Farmers are prohibited from covering haystacks with iron. No temporary repairs of any natiire may be carried out if iron is needed.

Having set down all these prohibitions one had perhaps better add that .no regulations or restrictions apply to the use of second-hand, reconditioned, or genuinely damaged corrugated iron. The catch, of course, is to obtain iron which falls under these headings. Enforcing the Regulations How are these regulations enforced? Every prospective puyer of galvanised iron has to fill in a form clearly indirating the purpose for which the iron is needed. And the filler of the form must keep to facts or he is liable to a term of imprisonment for 12 months or a fine of £lOO (or, worse, both). Should there be any doubt as to whether the iron may be sold, each business house handling it has one member of its staff appointed an approving officer, and he has the final local say. Should he be in doubt he must communicate with the Secretary of Supply (Mr R. G. Schmitt) and receive an official ruling. In any case should a flat refusal be made by the approving officer he must report the refusal to Wellington. Emergency Reserve Created Iron is still in very short supply, and is likely ,to continue so, although a Shipment of Australian iron is due this week, and this should ease the position somewhat. The loss of the Waikouaiti, which had iron on board, did not ’ ease a situation made bad before that disaster by the operations of import restrictions. Iron is imported by one concern only, and that concern is responsible for delivery to merchants. A shipment is rationed, deliveries being based on merchants' selling 'figures over a period. Of each shipment 25 per cent must be placed aside as an emergency reserve, this reserve being under the control of the Minister of Supply. Merchants who cut out their stocks may forward apllcations to the Minister for an issue from the emergency reserve, and this may be granted for bona fide urgent cases. In considering applications, however, attention will be given to control exercised by the merchant in disposing of his previous allocation. (A full record of sales must be kept by every merchant, and such things as “unaccountable stock shortages" will not be tolerated.) Iron released from the emergency reserve may be used only for the purposes released. and use otherwise means trouble for several people.