MUNITIONS AND SUPPLIES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1656, 30 December 1916, Page 3

MUNITIONS AND SUPPLIES.

STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER

The Hon. Arthur Myers, Minister in Charge of Munitions and Supplies for the Expeditionary Forces, made the following slalement to an Auckland Star reporter: — “It: will be, no doubt, recollected that Cabinet, after full consideration and after obtaining the reports of expert engineers who inspected and secured plants of all suitable machinery in the Dominion, came to the decision that: munitions of war could not: be advantageously or economically produced in New Zealand. That this decision was a wise one is confirmed by the fact that Australia has, after many attempts in the above direction, come to the same conclusion as the New Zealand Government did two years ago. “The Government’s energies have been directed to the organisation and to the affording of facilities in connection with the maintenance of our primary industries, with the object of rendering the help of supplies to the Imperial authorities. The results in this direction have been satisfactory. The difficulties to be contended with in this connection are better appreciated when one comprehends that the country’s man-power' has been reduced by some 75,000 men. “In regard to military supplies for New Zealand troops, which is the branch of war work particularly under my charge,” the Minister add-

ed, “I am pleased to be able to stale that: the difficulties experienced in the year 1915 of obtaining in the Dominion sr "icient supplies for our troops have a ,-en by appropriate organisation reduced to a minimum. Slocks of all important lines have been collected, and my Department is able to look well ahead in the, mailer of requirements, Avhich enables economical and satisfactory purchases being arranged. "As an illustration of the quantity of goods required, Mr Myers staled further that, roughly, sixty million articles, costing approximately tAvo and a-haif million pounds, have been arranged for and applied lo military purposes since lie assumed office as Minister in Charge of Munitions and Supplies in Angus! last year.