GAS SHORTAGE

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVI, Issue 22935, 4 July 1944, Page 4

GAS SHORTAGE

I Auckland Industries Embarrassed Urgent Deliveries Held Up i N.Z.P.A.) AUCKLAND. July 3. Industries :i Auckland which are dependent on gas spent a most trying day. but. although great difficulty was experienced, no cases were reported of factories being forced to close down completely through lack of gas. Manv were unable to operate certain machines, but other work was found for the operatives. Probably the most serious effect is the fact that no new tins can be made without gas. and unless immediate relief is granted several large military orders for tinned butter, cheese, dried milk, tea and biscuits will not be filled. Canister manufacturers are seriously concerned, for gas is required for soldering the sides of tins and sealing the lids. Or.e firm has already put one machine out of operation. A second Auckland firm has ceased making new tins and is already drawing heavily on reserve stocks to fill large and urgent war contracts. It was stated by a representative of one firm that no further supplies of tomato soup would be made unless there was some improvement within the next few days, as stocks of this type of container were limited. Position of Clothing Trade Another industry which has been handicapped severely is the clothing trade. Gas is used for steam boilers to operate plants for pressing the finished article. Proprietors of clothing factories are deeply concerned, and it was pointed out that the gas shortage had come at a most critical time for the industry. This interruption was adding considerably to the nondelivery of various articles of clothing, chiefly heavy garments, which were required urgently. While the Government was pressing the industry for maximum production, manufacturers were faced with a serious bottleneck caused solely by the lack of gas.