AS WAR REPARATIONS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 53, 5 March 1946, Page 5

AS WAR REPARATIONS

MANUFACTURING PLANTS FOR NEW ZEALAND (P.A.) Wellington, March 4. Complete manufacturing plants from Germany and Japan may come to New Zealand as war reparations, according to a statement by the Minister of Industries and Commerce, Mr. Sullivan. Buildings housing the plants may also be shipped if it is practicable to dismantle them. The Minister said that reparations of this class would not be merely individual items of machinery and equipment from brokendown plants. It was hoped that firms planning to set up new industries In New Zealand wouid advise his department of their needs as early as possible. It might then be possible to obtain complete plants much earlier than would otherwise be the case. Requests for plant and machinery would in no way be* regalded as a commitment to purchase, although it was desired that applications should be based on genuine proposals, and with bona fide intentions to confirm the requests if equipment is available. At present a survey of requirements was needed so that claims could be presented to the Reparations Commission. Mr. Sullivan said that the main items expected to be available were large and small machine tools of all types, power plants, shipyard and dockyard plant, various types ot chemical plants, railway equipment, plant for processing ferrous and nonferrous metals, and various special and general manufacturing plants, complete. Government departments, local authorities, manufacturers and industrial concerns would be circularised as to what was likely 1c be available, and asking them to advise the department in what they were interested.