WEAPONS OF WAR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 February 1941, Page 9

WEAPONS OF WAR

NEW ZEALAND’S EFFORT OUTLINED by minister. VARIETY OF PRODUCTS. •By Telegraph—Press Association.! WELLINGTON. This Day. New Zealand’s war effort in the production of munitions was briefly outlined by the Minister of Munitions and Supply, Mr. Sullivan, in a statement issued on Saturday. He said that the full extent of a nation's achievement in the manufacture of the machinery of war could never be fully revealed during the war. and that there could be no exchange by the combatants of such valuable information while the struggle waged. He said that associated with the munition work now in hand was the problem of the supply of suitably trained labour. The Government had inaugurated a scheme to provide additional facilities for the intensive training of auxiliary workers. "A number of engineering firms arc now engaged in production of war material of varying descriptions." said Mr. Sullivan. "Some of these are producing components parts, as. for instance, in the case of hand-grenades. These parts arc being delivered to a central point for final assembly and filling with explosives. Several hundred thousand war munition units arc now in production and some of these have already been completed. "The rivetted type of Bren gun carriers required for training purposes is being manufactured and assembled in Government workshops. A large number are in an advanced stage of production. An even larger number of the welder type of universal carriers are on order and contracts covering various sections of this work have been placed with numerous New Zealand firms. These firms are organising the preparatory work so that speedy production will be possible immediately materials are available. On completion of the sectional work these carriers will be finally assembled on mass production lines. "Several hundred three-inch trench mortars are also on production, the first order being in an advanced stage of manufacture in Government workshops. Final assembly will be undertaken within a short time and the balance of the first order will be assembled by a large private factory from the completed subsections supplied by Government works and private engineering firms. "The preparatory work in connection with the manufacture of high explosive and smoke bombs for 3-inch mortars has been completed, and orders have been placed with 18 firms throughout the Dominion.”