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Such essentials as sodium chlorate, arsenic, &c., used in the manufacture of weedicides and insecticides are still in short supply and necessarily reduce output, but indications are that some improvement may be soon expected. Foodstuffs Biscuit Manufacture. —The industry has experienced a busy year, and larger supplies have been available to the; general public. Production of fancy lines has been restricted to conserve sugar supplies. Fruit and Vegetable Canning. —Canners have experienced a busy year, and jdants handled all suitable supplies of canning varieties of fruit and vegetables. Engineering The engineering industry has experienced another extremely busy year, and shops and foundries have been fully occupied. Munitions. —Demands have fallen considerably. The manufacture of fuses, grenades, and mortar bombs continues, while the reconditioning of United States Army trucks and vehicles from combat areas is also being undertaken in local factories. The specialized plant brought into New Zealand for munitions production is capable of adaption to the production of a considerable range of civilian requirements, and will be so utilized as demands for munitions decline. Die-casting plant, for instance, will produce parts for milking-machines, vacuum cleaners, washing-machines, builders' hardware, and a wide range of other articles. Ship Building and Repairs Government contracts for building tugs and lighters for Pacific combat areas has kept a section of the engineering trade very busy, as has ship repairing, which could not be carried out overseas, where vessels were in the danger zone. Repair work was on a larger scale than before, and indications are that it is likely to remain so for some time. Agricultural Implement and Dairy Machinery Manufacture. —The decrease in munition work has permitted more time to be given to the production of agricultural implements and plant, and an increase of about 10 per cent, over last year's production was recorded. Manufacturers of milking-machines produced a limited number of plants, which was governed by the material supply. Rakes, shovels, and a variety of hoes are now being produced in New Zealand, and in increasing quantities. General Industry.—Maintenance of industrial plant has been one of the engineering industry's problems during the war years, for the installation of now up-to-date equipment required by modern practice has been almost impossible. With a return to more normal conditions, and the lifting by the United Kingdom of the controls over the export of most types of industrial machinery, New Zealand firms are planning renewals and capital additions which are likely to provide work for the engineering trade for a considerable time. The gas industry is one in which major additions and renewals are planned. In the textile, plastic, and refrigeration industries, additional equipment can be utilized, but spinning and weaving machinery, presses, &c., and compressors are, as yet, difficult to secure from overseas. Limeworks and quarries are also likely to provide work for the engineering trade when they can obtain delivery of replacements on order. In the light engineering field, new departures are the production by local firms of welding equipment and of rolled thread screws. Relaxation of control permitted the resumption of manufacture of motor lawn-mowers in limited quantities, and makers of hand mowers are waiting the arrival of material on order overseas to resume production. Canister makers again had a very busy year, and maintained a high level of production. Food containers for Armed Forces were manufactured in large quantities, while the partial relaxation of tinplate restrictions and additional supplies of waster plate permitted the manufacture of increased quantities of domestic tinware. The arrival of supplies of aluminium from overseas, with the prospects of ample supplies being available in the future, has enabled production of aluminium hollow-ware to be resumed, and manufacturers' output is in keen demand. Enamel hollow-ware manufacture has continued on a somewhat reduced scale, following completion of wartime contracts. Containers Glassware. —Production of glassware, mainly in the form of containers for manufactured products, increased during the year, and the factory is fully occupied, but it is still necessary to restrict types being made. Woodware. —Coopers and box manufacturers have experienced a very busy year. Production is more than 60 per cent, above pre-war level, and this has intensified the problem of securing adequate supplies of timber and labour. Fibres and Tobacco Cordage and Twine.—lncreased demands from the Armed Forces necessitated strict control and rationing of production, but it is hoped to increase civilian quotas of lashing and parcel twines and rope clothes-lines in the near future. Cordage and twine continue to be made available in adequate quantities to farmers, fishermen, upholsterers, meat-works, bacon-factories, and the shipping industry, and the manufacturers have been fully occupied throughout the year, much of their output being in demand for Allied war purposes overseas due to a world shortage of rope fibres. Tobacco.—Though adequate supplies of both imported and locally grown leaf and all necessary raw materials were available, production was limited by shortage of labour.

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