MUNITION'S AND SUPPLIES.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 July 1918, Page 1

MUNITION'S AND SUPPLIES.

CONTROL OF PETROL AND COAL

The Minister for Munitions and Supplies (tho Hon. Arthur M. Myers), recently stated that in addition to handling matters connected with the control of coal distribution, priority permits, and tlic buying of military supplies, his department was concerned with the control and distribution of petrol, in regard to which the Board of Trade was acting in an advisory capacity to the Minister. Commenting on the Petrol Regulations recently published, Mr Myers stated that they were flexible in their application and this would enable him to meet varying requirements. MILITARY SUPPLIES. The position to date in regard to the buying of supplies required for military purposes during the calendar year, 1918, was as follows: Estimate for the year .£1,300,000 Value of orders placed to date 789,000 Balance still to he purchased if required 511,000 Tho value of the business placed to date has been distributed as under: Auckland, £144,820; Wellington, £363, 225; Canterbury, £124,293; Otago, £156,662. ‘ j

Speaking generally, said the Minister, the conditions still prevailed which made it- impossible for advantageous purchases to be made by the tender system in all cases. As a result

of this, the department had compiled a complete Register of Supplies of various lines and of necessity was purchasing direct from primary sources of supply where possible. PRIORITY PERMIT'S. As the war continued the business in respect to priority permits continued to increase in volume and import-

auee. It was now found necessary fi tlic Minister on behalf of the No Zealand Government, to make ropr .sen%tirms to Canada, the Unite States, India., and Australia, in tl same way. as was done last year in r< spent of New Zealand orders placed j the United Kingdom. 'Uhe departmci had spared no effort to assist New Ze: land importers in making good the shortages in essential lines, but it woul be 'appreciated that, its action fre nuently was taken in the light c confidential information, and this o< casionally precluded insistent represei tat ions being made. COAL DISTRIBUTION. “ As regards the distribution of eo: (.Mi- .Myers remarked), the figures sul mittod to me by the Government Sta. jstic-ian show a steady depletion c stocks throughout the Dominion. A this time of the. year the eonsumptic of coal reaches its highest point. Tli shortage of fuel is most felt in liar coal supplies, and this is being me by encouraging a more extensive us of lignite coals. It can he stated, wit credit to the country, that up to dat every enterprise concerned lias leg itself readily to the directions I hav found it necessary to make, and thi attitude on the part of coal-consumer has contributed largely to the'fact tha no activity so far has ceased to operat for lack of coal. Tn normal times New Zealand relies on large quantitiei of imported coal being made avail able to meet its full demands. It wil be understood that under war condi tions the greatest difficulty is being ex perienccd in securing sufficient tonnagt to supplement the full requirement: of the New Zealand coal consumer! As a result of this, the concentration of a. substantial proportion of the tonnage available on the carriage of coal from Newcastle is necessary, and this action is correspondingly felt in the inability of shipping companies to give the fullest attention to some other .lines, notably hardwood.” In this connection, however, the Minister expressed a hope that when the summer months approached he would be in a position to more favourably regard the release of some tonnage from coal carrying, as a temporary relief to those interested is other essential lines.