STEEL SHORTAGE AND SHIPPING

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 4, 12 March 1947, Page 6

STEEL SHORTAGE AND SHIPPING

To describe the position of steel supplies in New Zealand today as desperate would by no means be over r emphasising the serious position with which the engineering industry was faced, said Mr J. H. Manning, president of the New Zealand Manufacturing Engineers and Metal Trades Federation. The Commissioner of Supply, Mr P. B. Marshall, had stated to the Manufacturers’ Federation conference that he was fully aware of the seriousness of the position. It Was stated that some 12,000 tons of steel were awaiting shipment in Australia and that further supplies would be available as soon as this was lifted, but a considerable portion of these totals comprised rails for the Railways Department and other heavy steel and from the manufacturers’ point of view the most serious problem of the moment was the very small quantities of anglers, flats and sheets that were coming forward. In 1937, an overall steel total of 63,582 land and imports in 1945 had dropped to 13,058 tons. In 1946 the total tonnage was 24,000 tons, but 5000 tons of this would not be suitable for ordinary industry. The present indications were that for the ensuing year industry would receive approximately 15,000 tons which could be increased substantially if shipment could be obtained.