MUNITIONS & SUPPLIES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2805, 24 June 1916, Page 10

MUNITIONS & SUPPLIES

MINISTER REPORT

A HUGE BUSINESS

SOME VERY BIG FIGURES

A report on the operations of the Munitions lind Supplies Department, established in August Inst and placed undor the control of tho Hon.. A. 11. Myers, wns presented io the House of Hepresontatives yeptenlny. At tho time that Mr. Myers took charge difficulty in securing supplies had been cliiefly experienced by the Defence Department in regard to Iwots, uniform clothing, and woollen articles which wero short-tendered for in August last year, tho shortages being: 5000 cholera-belts, 2i)40 jerseys, 5500 under-pants, 5180 under; shirts, 4415 working shirts, 8200 pairs socks, 35U0 pairs canvas shoes, 600 deuiui suits.

To arrange for the supply of these articles of equipment, which were immediately -required, Mr. Myers accepted the gratuitous and patriotic services of two gentlemen of high standing in the New Zealand soft-goods trade, who, under his direction, secured irom wholesale houses and from the woollen mills such goods us were immediately wanted in camp during tho last three months of 1915. Tenders received for tho supply of these requirements were not accepted, as in the first place the heavy quantities of goods needed were not on offer, a!nd secondly, it was possible to place the bulk, of the orders at lower prices for bettor articles with tho mills direct.

New Zealand Factory Power. It was then found desirable to ascertain whether the combined factory power of .New Zealand could produce full.quantities of military, equipmeut required, witnout disturbing tho output for ordinary traue,\ and fir. Myers accordingly caused'to be collepted from 215 factories in the Dominion statistics which were grouped under two heads, namely: (a) total output per week if exclusively employed on production of military equipment; and (la) probable output per week or military equipment if produced in addition to executing ordinary trade orders. these statistics showed that the combined .capacity of the New Zealand A, mi ' ? t. w9s - 9Ulte inadequate to meet-the existing demands of ordinary customers, und at the same time to rt*" miifaJT f ° V • thD * full aWOUIIt CM hi°iU S^'- Jfei }k nd woollon-mill-V ? nittcv. and a conference was according y convened at Wellington on October. _|f, 101 0 , as a result of which ZTI, v°}' BOQ^' 3 to J lie vnlue of -£554.293 delnerj throughout the year 3916 «ere_ placed and patriotically accepted Jiililr ™ f :liers- , 1 11 S. demonstrated tho • 1 „°L OIU ' factories to supply the hlioio of Jnew Zealand's military requir'eT.f™ f 100-I 00 -' 13 °, { tho ,cind wh 'ch can be pioduoed in the Dominion.

Big 'Figures. It is estimated that COO will bo expended to secure military supplies for th ?) calendar year l'Jlii. This sum is made up as iollows,—. (1) Uniform, clothing, and woollen/ A ffoods . - XEJ oq* (-) Other stores, suoh as boots, " hardware, leather goods, furw «;, nl r re ' ■ -V 5i5,7{)5 oiipplies, sucji as food and i'orago 424 500 ('0 Drugs fov medical, dental, and veterinary services 23,500 • . ' X1»548,U00 Ine value of goods arranged for 6inco taking over control in Aupust, 1015, ineluding lfjlG purchaser, will amount approximately to t\vo millions sterling. The Cost per Man. ' .1 he report gives ; in detail tho various items and. their -costs included in tho personal equipment of both mounted men , At the present'timo it costs the Dominion £22 Gs. Sd. to equip un infantry man, and .£22 7s. 9d. tp equip a mountwl man for active service with the' Expeditionary Force, Uniforms. To give an idea of tho enormous quantity of khaki required for the year 191G tor uniforms, overcoats, working-shirts, niul pantaloons, tho >>?port states that the total length of cloth aggregates about 530 miles, or, in other words, enough to reach fr®n Wellington to Auckland, and 100 miles to spare. It it estimated that between 80 and 90 por cent. of the combined output of the New Zealand woollen mills will be absorbed by the production of goods for military purposes during the months of January-August this year. Prom September to the end of this year the Reduction in the output of goods for military purposes will enable tha woollen' mills to devote their attention to the execution of their ordinary trade orders. In 1915, anproximaely tho whole of the material used in tho manufacture of denim suits was obtained from America, but for the supply of cloth for 101G Mr. Myers mndo arrangements for orders to be placed direct with English manufacturers, for shipment through the High Commissioner for New Zealand in London, and secured a supply of Britishmade material which has proved entirely satisfactory. • .

The quality of uniform materials and of underclothing now being supplied : s of ii-very superior kind, several of the articles being two-ply yarn,, instead 01 sifale-ply. previously supplied. If the blankets .required for the .vent 1(118. wore in one piece, they would cover nn areti of 13-1J ncres.

Boots. Tho difficulty experienced in connection with the supply of boots towards the end of 1915 is outlined in the report. At that time, owing to supplies from manufacturers not being delivered ins 1 ; enough, various lines of heavy' boot? were purchased from stocks held by warehousemen and retailers. The design and quality of the hoots purchased in this w-ay, were varied, and led the. Cool Manufacturers' Association of Now Zealand to . state that they .regarded the matter as unsatisfactory.' The representatives of this association who waited upon the Minister pointe.d out: (1) The desirability of (a) securing uniformitv of design and sample, and (b) providing three fittings lo every size, namely, narrow, medium, and, wide; (2) the advantage aiul economy to be effected by (a) placing tunning instead of spasmodic orders, ()>) coinbined orders for boots and shoes (for the shoe absorbs the leather regarded as .too poor in quality for the boot). .At tile request of thefls gentlemen, Mr. Myers consented to Mr. C., .T. Ward Conferring with tho staff of the Quartermastor-General, (3) witlra view to preparing samples of one design and 'nullify. When Mr. Ward bad carried this out. the.samples were duly apnroved by the •Bepartnient and the niannfactur c-rs. and tenders wcr» then inviled for IMfl. and reserve supplies, approximately 100.1X10 pairs. A comparison of prices (both bpiti" for delivery to Defence Stores, Wellington) st-nds as follows:— 1915. 1916. Boots . ..." 18s. r>d. l!)i (Id. Shoes Gs. 9d. Gs. fid. Totals 255. 2d. 25s Gd. It is to bo observed that the 191G boot has the advantage of tvo complete solos, whilst..the 1915 pattern has but one: the advantage being that the boot is so constructed as to permit of the removal of I he mitrr snlo when it is worn ou!, and t" leave the second sole for future use. "No complaints in reference to Ixiots have reached me." wrlio.i the Minister in Charge of the Department, "011 tbe rontrnrv. nil reports jn them sn»nk highly of their design and quality." Holdalls rind "Housewives." A businesslike arrangement was made with the executive of tho committee of the Countess of Liverpool Fund, by which the. committee are, at fixed prices, supplying tlio Department's renuirements in holdalls and "housewives," namely, MOO of each per month. The goods sup nlied are far superior in quality to those hitherto obtainable. The Minister records his' sincere appreciation of the patriotic enterprise characterising the prac-

tical help which- thjs society liijs 'af- | forded in regard to tho supply ot' these two necessary articles. Poodstufft. 'With refcrenc# to the matter of acquiring supplies for camps and troop, ships,-tho Minister reports that this business has beon entirely conducted ty securing the competition of tenderers. "Certain economies have been effected by nr-. rangements made with the linpoi'ial'Government Supplies Branch in regard to fresh moat, cheese, and butter. It may be of interest," the report continues, "to state that for the closing months of the year 1915' it cost approximately Is. Bd. per day per man to provide food for the men imdor training. The position in this respect for the present year, 1916, is as follows

Feniherston Trenth'am Camp. Camp, s. d. s. d, January 1 O.OOii l 5,5 February 1 (j.023 1 5.5 Bliirch 1 7.731) .. 1 7,5 April 1 7.732 • 1 y,5 .May 1 7.871 1 8. "The aLove covers the cost of throe meals per man per day; also curly morning ten or coifee, supper for . guards and pickets, morning tea and afternoon tea,. The. lattor is supplied on account of continuous parades, and instead of allowing ■the men to drink water. An idea ae to the quantities of articles required is readily obtained from the frl'owiug figures, roughly covering a twelvemonths' supplyßread, 3,750,0001b.,- butter, 1,300,0001b.; cheese, 850,0001b.; coffee, 30,0001b.; flour, 1,800,0001b.; candles, SO.OOO; jam, 1,2fi1,000 tins; fresh meat, 4,500,0001b,; fresh milk, 180,000 vallonsj oatmeal, 420,0001b.; teu, 214,8501b." Raw Materials.

Difficulty was experienced under two heads in regard to raw materials necessary for the production in New Zealand of goods required hero for our i'iilitary purposes. The first matter arose in, regard to raw wool. Owing to the large quantity of raw wool required by the 1 millers to produce the woollen ?oods requisite for 191G, estimated at some 12,000 bales, the Minister considered that it *0111(1 be advantageous to tho Department if -jrho wool were purchased by one buyer, and the patriotic offer' of Mr, Walter Hill, of Christohurch, was aceepted, to purchase, without commission, necessary .quantity: of wool required. In this way 111,660 bales, containing 3,797,7411b. were secured at a satisfactory price, comparing very favourably with the average for the season: The second matter of difficulty, arose \n connection with the solo leather for military boots. The report outlines the reasons for placing an embargo on. the export of heavy hid(s, and for the quent arrangements- made, whereby export was allowed on ten per cent, being .retained for delivery, at prices previously agreed upon at a conference- of, parties interested, ; to tanners engaged ii; supplying leather to manufacturers of military footwear. "The arrangements," the report adds, "have proved satisfactory by enabling tanners, to continue to supply the manufacturers of military boots with leather at prices not exceeding those vhich were ruling prior to the embargo, and on which the manufacturers had lxised their tenders for the supply of the Government's requirements in military boots and show for the current year.'! Rifle Pull-Throughs. The report rcfefs to the good work bc'ing done by Mr. C.. H. Hewlett, of Christchiu'ch, assisted' by an energetic band of patriotic workers, organised by him, in undertaking to supply to tho Department 30,C(00 rifle pull-throughs. The articles aro reported on as being .well made and of good material, and quite ! suitable to the requirements of tho'Defence Department, besides costing only about half the ordinary price. j

A General Summary. "I'have to state,' ,says the Minister, 'that I have endeavoured to provide in a businesslike manner, and on strictly commercial lines, for the large quantities of varied goods which are essential for tho conduce of our military operations. In tho discharge of this duty I havo observed two primary principles, the first -being to make certain oi securing the l.t'ull quantities of supplies needed, giving preference, where possible, to New Zea-land-produced articles, and tho second being the buyers' function (consistent with quality) to cheapen tho market." A return of stock, which Mr. Myers directed should be taken early this month, shows that ample supplies tire held in store. Jij certain lines previously rel'erre«l to as being in short supply in October last; the position is as follows:—38,000 blanket 1 ;, 31,000 working shirts, 15,500 jerseys, 53,000 socks, 35.(100 underpants, undershirts, BS.OOO cholera belt.?. The, portion" of the report dealing with supplies concludes by acknowledging the generous and great assistance afforded the Minister by the members of the Supplies Board of Advice, Messrs A. H. Miles, Alexander Macintosh, and George.Wilson, in regard to the many novel and ofttimea difficult situations which have arisen, and expressing appreciation of the work dono by the Supplies Purchase Office, under tho charge of Mr. A. M. Adams, and, in connection with this office, gratefully acknowledging the generous and , valuable help rendered by gentlemen expert in tho various branches of the Department's business, who have, for'patriotict reasons, given their gratuitous assistance to their country by attaching themselves to, the office, which was created to control oi conduct buying operations in respect of military requirements. The chief among these gentlemen are:—Mr. Sidney ICirkcaldie, of Kirkcttldio and Stains, Limited, Wellington; Mr. J. L. Morrison,. repro-' sentatiye in New Zealand for Mcssrß. J., and Tt. Morley (England), Wellington; Mr. G. Tt. Ritchie, Bunedin; Mr. M, P. Cameron, hardware expert, Customs Department, Wellington; Air. A. W. Blair, of Messrs. Chapman, Skerrett, Tripp and Blair, barristers and solicitors, Wellington; Mr. F. W. Furkett, inspecting engineer, Public Works Department, Wellington; and Professor Worley, University College, Auckland.

Owing to the gratuitous services thus rendered, the Purchase. Office has been* conducted at a strikingly low cost of 0.0005 per cent. 1 of the value of the business transacted since its inception, which amounts in value to approximately .£2,000,000, and represents ■ the handling ol' about 50,000,000 articles.

No Steel. , Regarding munitions, Mr. Myers and his Department, as is now well known, fere not nearly so fortunate. The initial and cardinal difficulty was to procure suitable steel in quantity. We lacked machinery also, but apparently this difficulty was not quite insuperable. Australian steel was tried, but after extensixe experiments had been made with it in Addington Railway Workshops tho Government decided that it was not wiso to try to lmmufacturo shells here in tho meantime.

All offer was received from a large manufacturing company in the United States for the supply and setting np of a. complete plant to manufacture 100 rifles per (lav. The delivery of this plant could not be completed for two years, and the output would therefore most likely not lie helpful in the present war. In addition, the capital expenditure was exceedingly large, mid Cabinet decided in this instance also that 110 action should be taken.