MUNITIONS AND SUPPLIES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 112, 29 January 1918, Page 7

MUNITIONS AND SUPPLIES

BIG ARMY BILL THIS YEAR

THE COAL SITUATION - A summary of recent activities of - the Munitions and Supplies Department was given to an Auckland "Star" re- :- porter by the Hon. A. M. Myers, Min- ; ister in Charge, who arrived on a short - visit to Auckland. - ' Dealing with the military supplies purchase branch, Mr. Myers said that e according to the estimates which he !i had caused to be prepared, as far as s could be judged the military authorii, ties would require goods to the valuo . of £1,300,000 for the calendar year . 1918. "The schedules of likely requirej ments," he added, "have been very P carefully scrutinised with a view to _ procuring what is needed in the most _ economical way._ A large proportion of the business is represented by sup- ; plies of cloth and woollen materials _ which are being produced by various . New- Zealand woollen mills. As regards' . making the quantities up into uniforms,' . contracts have this week been let to j. successful tenderers at satisfactory prices,, although some are slightly in .. advanco of 1917 prices, which is ac- , counted for by the fact that the cost. , of linings, buttons, etc., has consider- , ably advanced, and that there is also a , slight, increasa in the cost of labour, | due to war bonuses." j , lu regard to military boots and , shoes, Mr., Myers stated that tenders Mere at present under consideration, , and he hoped that those interested , would know their position on his return to Wellington. "It will no doubt be appreciated by' all those in touch with markets," stated the Minister, "that under present conditions difficulties have to be overcome in securing large supplies of many commodities at reasonable prices. As-an instance of this, the Department has been brought to realise that the tender system of- securing goods does not promote the Competition of merchants which the method of buying intends to create. As a consequcnce of this, the Department has to go into the market in the same way as mercantile, houses would under similar circumstances have to do, and, in this connection, it is. a source of satisfaction to ine to have tho benefit of the expert services, of my advisers." Referring to "priority permits," under which goods required for essential industries are obtained from Great Bri- , tain by arrangement with the British Ministry of Munitions, Mr. Myers said that to date 4504 applications had been recoivcd. Of this number 4438 had been, dealt with, and of the balance 37 were under action in the office and 29 under consideration. The total value of all orders received to date was equivalent to £1,789,680. The question of coal supplies, the dis : tribution of which is under his control, was also dealt with by Mr. Myers. A general shortage of coal, hard.coal particularly, was making itself felt throughout the he remarked. The local coal trade committees established in the various centres had during the. last months found their time closely occupied in allocating the coal supplies available, to the best advantage. The policy of. the Department being in this connection to utilise such", coal as is available to the beat advantage from a national point of view, .'it followed, therefore, that the requirements of the Admiralty, the railways, and the bunkering of overseas ships were those which must receive first consideration. At the moment tho effects of the strikes (both in New Zealand and in Australia) in the early part of last' year, the reduced output from the : mines owing to tho Christmas holidays, and increased consumption, were still being felt. Every effort, however, was : being made to secure all available ton- i liage for the purpose of supplementing the New Zealand output by imnorta- i tions, but in this direction, with tho world-wide shortage of shipping, ono could not bo optimistic.