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209. Salt.—The maintenance of supplies for industrial purposes during the year was most difficult, due to harvest failures and lack of transport. A substantial shipment was received ex the Middle East, in late 1946 and the position was eased. The future supply position for this item appears reasonably good. 210. Canned Fish. —An allocation of 600 tons of canned fish was made to New Zealand towards the end of 1946, and shipments are at present arriving. The allocation comprised mainly Canadian herrings. The future supply position appears to be reasonably bright, as quantities will be imported from Canada, the United Kingdom, and Norway. In addition, this Office has finalized the purchase of useful quantities of salmon, sardines, and herrings from surplus Admiralty stocks. (iii) Local Purchasing for Government Departments and Institutions 211. During the year the Office continued to function as the foodstuffs purchasing authority for Government Departments and the Defence Services. In the main, arrangements were made for direct imports from overseas and for direct purchases from local manufacturers. Contracts were arranged for most institutions for meat, bread, fish, &c. The main Army camps continued to draw supplies of meat direct from the freezing-works. Arrangements were made for the regular inspection of meat killed at the mental hospital at Te Mawhai, and a contract was made for the supply of inspected and graded meat to His Majesty's prison at Auckland and to the mental hospital at Raventhorpe. (c) General (i) Procurement 212. The following items were purchased by the Office on a Government-to-Govern-ment basis, for distribution through normal trade channels: — Approximate Item. Annual Value. £ Coffee beans .. .. .. 75,000 Peanuts .. .. .. .. 50,000 Canned fruit .. .. .. 100,000 Rice .. .. .. .. 50,000 Desiccated coconut .. .. 90,000 Tea .. .. .. .. 1,750,000 Canned fish .. .. .. 100,000 Sundries .. .. .. .. 50,000 (ii) Imperial Government Contracts 213. Production on one contract only—viz., oatmeal—proceeded during the year, and the total value of contract goods in store was reduced to approximately £75,000 as at 31st March, 1947. A contract for a further 2,000 tons of oatmeal for delivery during the calendar year ended 31st December, 1947, was negotiated on behalf of the British War Office; approximate value, £lOO,OOO. Production on this contract is proceeding. Imperial Government goods were shipped during the year by the Marketing Department, Export Division. The Office continued to act as the agent of the War Assets Realization Board for disposal of surplus Service foodstuffs. (iii) Appreciation 214. The usual cordial relations existed between this Office and trade groups throughout the year, and it is desired to record appreciation for the advice and assistance on food matters which was always so readily available.

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