MUNITIONS AND THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2832, 25 July 1916, Page 6

MUNITIONS AND THE WAR

Sir,—lt is reported that the Honourable. Minister of Munitions recently said: "I notice 1 that the Australian authorities have received advice from the Imperial Government that it does not require any further supplies of shells from the Commonwealth." As a matter of fact, the Commonwealth Minister of Defence stated last week that owing to difficulties of transport and changes in design it is impossible for Australia to assist in providing shells. . Has it occurred to you, Sir, that this was a mild way of informing the public that 'no serviceable shells had been -made in Australia since the war began, and. that, if any had been made, they could never be used, because they would not be classed as serviceable, and would ruin, any gun from which they were discharged, let alono the probability of serious loss of life due to shell casualties. This proves conclusively what a mess Neir Zealand would have made of it if- the Government had listened to the pressure brought to boar on them from many sources to make shells in Zealand. I venture to say it has saved this country hundreds of thousands of pounds.

It Has taken over thirty years Co bring small-arms ammunition manufacture in. Australasia to its present perfection and tremendous output, and I do not think people generally realise the very great importance of- tho local ammunition manufactory established by my father in both New Zealand and Australia, and now carried on by his company at Auckland and. Melbourne. If it had not been for these two establishments it woiilu 'Have been of little use sending troops to help tho Mother Country because no ammunition suitable for New Zealand and Australian rifles would have been forthcoming. ■ •

Ammunition manufacture is an industry by itself, but has several offshoots,such as the manufacture of metal, cordite, lead, shot, etc. • Major Whitney's Coriipany makes its own metal ill Australia from Australian ore, that is, it buys blister copper and nickel from the smelting works, and turns it'into brasi and cupro ; nickel, suitable for making into cartridges and bullets. The point I .wisn to emphasise just now is, we do nfil in."<t:b our own brass in Jfew Zealand; "it is all imported, and yet wo have hero some of the finest copper deposits in the world, which only require assistance from the. Government to develop into payable industries. As as smelting works have been established in New Zealand it 'would be possible to start making brass, etc., here, but the metal refining and rolling mills are very costly, and unless this industry is subsidised by Government by a bonu3 per ton on "all brass and cupro nickel produced for a term of years (the same as, was done by both France and Germany before the war, to enable these nations to establish greater facilities in the. way of producing brass, cupro nickel, and other material used in tho making of small-arms ammunition). If this were done there might be a possibility of New Zealand making its own. metal for use in ammunition manufacture.

Before joining the New Zealand Forces in London in August, 1911, my eldest son went through a course of instruction at Woolwich in metal manufacture.

The Government is to be highly congratulated on its efforts to establish tlio iron industry by the bonus system, and I trust those who take the work in hand will make a success., of it in the near future. There is a large scope for investment of capital in putting some of our New Zealand ores to practical use, but as already said, any firm taking tho. matter in hand must have Government assistance in the beginning. When Major Whitney started manufacture of cartridges in; ISS4-5, Ue received no pecuniary assistance of any kind from the Government. The want of orders to keep tho staff and trained .workers continually employed and the machinery moving was the main obstacle to overcome, and looking back on the past, it is a marvel to me'that ho did not sink all. his fortune ill au undertaking which, after' many ups and downs, luvs been of mucn greater assistance. to tlie nation than anyone could imagine would have been the case thirty years ago. I do not think shells, rifles, or ma-chine-guns should bo made in New Zealand, at any rate, not for some fifteen years to come. All are very costly industries. The better way would be to lay in large stocks for any emergency that might arise. This could be done at a comparatively small cost, as compared to the starting of these industries which, once begun, could not be kept going ■ because-the requirements of New Zealand would be comparatively small for the size of the manufactory required. When the population of the Dominion reaches 6ome. flvo or seven million people, it might be,time to think whether it . is desirable to sink large sums of public money in undertakings of this kind. I am satisfied no private firm will undertake the work. In any case, these undertakings cannot-be established in u day. It takes years of patient plodding, together with practical'experience, and much perseverance and skill,/ to begin aud bring to perfection industries of this kind, aiul then only' at a very great initial cost and a 'continual outlay in capital expenditure for years after the first start is made.

The rifle factory in Australia is an instance of what I mean. It was originally .estimated to cost .£60,000, but 1 fihould think by this time it has cost the ■ Federal Government nearly .£1.001),000, and is likely to cost still more before the factory • output of rifles reaches a desirable quantity, beoause as the-quantity of serviceable rifles increases the cost decreases per rille accordingly. Unserviceable rifles cost as much to make as serviceable, and in tho long run the value of the unserviceable has to 1)b added to tho cost of the serviceable. In a young industry where precision'often to within the ten thousandth pnrt of an inch is required, 'it is astonishing how the rejects tell against profit and less. In conclusion, Mr. Lloyd George is reported by cable to have stated on tho 14th .Tilly, that last year the Russians faced a hailstorm of iron with flesh and blood, and the British were condemned to' inactivity because their ammunition supplies were unequal to a sustained attack. He continued to say: "We are still turning out hundreds of guns and howitzers monthly, and twice as much ammunition in a single week, aud three times the number of heavy shells as was fired in the grand offensive iu September last, though that supply was the result of many weary weeks' accumulation. The new factories and workshops have not yet attained to a third of their full capacity, but the output is increasing with great rapidity. The main difficulties have been'-labour supply; but re-' adjustments have solved that* diftibultj and supplies will soon be overwhelming." Mr. Lloyd . George then emphasises the lesson of the present war, that plenty of ammunition means more victories and fewer casualties—l am, etc.", CECIL A. WHITNEY.'Auckland, July 20, 1916.