MACHINE TOOLS

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 263, 5 August 1942, Page 6

MACHINE TOOLS

Dominion Requirements For Munitions Work The necessity for speed in the placing of orders for machine tools required by rhe munitions manufactur- ' ers of the Dominion has been emphasized by Mr. N. Kidd, chairman of the Auckland branch of Consolidated Importers (N.Z.), Linjited, a non-pro-fit-making concern set up as a kind of order-clearing agency for importers. The position, he said, was that supplies in the Dominion had been pinetically absorbed and that the overseas suppliers of these tools, now mainly in America, had for some time been clamouring for information as to New Zealand’s vital requirements. _ They already had received the requirements of England, Australia and South Africa for 1943. It was essential for them to know at the earliest date the total Empire needs so that they could work to quantities and allocations. As no national statistics existed this company had been formed to receive from importers their applications on the basis of the licences granted in 1939, to consolidate them and thus aid the New Zealand Ministry of Supply In dealing directly with the Governments of the supply countries. The five branches, those of Auckland. Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Invercargill, were now concentrating on the requirements of grinding tools which came first on the list of essentials. These would be consolidated by the Ministry of Supply Under the abnormal circumstances it was better that the orders should be dealt with between Government and Government, for more than the question of shipping space was involved. There would be as little disturbance as- possible with existing channels of supply. But the point was, and it was of paramount importance, that the supply of machine tools had to be ensured. It was useless to have the raw material and arrange for the artificers if the tools were lacking. They formed the bottleneck of the munitions industry. The consolidated and sponsored orders for grinding tools were expected to be sent away this week and importers would be advised of the closing dates for the reception of orders for other specified tools. The company ex-'’ pected that for the coming year it would handle orders for business involving well over £1,000,000. Mr. Kidd added that all service in the company was voluntary and that any credit balance that might accrue would be paid into the Government war Expenses Account.