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SECTION 13—NEW INDUSTRIAL PROJECTS A notable achievement in our industrial development was marked by commencement ®f production during the year by the three companies which have established factories in this country for the manufacture of motor-tires. In another field —the manufacturing of pistons, rings, and other motor parts —United Kingdom and New Zealand interests have combined, to undertake the production here. In yet another sphere—that of producing salt by solar processes —the Government is associating with private interests to form a company to operate at Lake Grassmere, on the Marlborough coast. The outcome of experiments now under -way to test the prospect of obtaining iron from our ironsands will be watched with the greatest interest. Possibilities for using our timber resources for pulp and paper manufacture are also being thoroughly examined. Nor have existing industries been standing still. The changes now taking place in them, however, are more in the nature of extension of or improvements to existing units than by way of the establishment of new units. As a result of negotiations in which this Department took a prominent part the British Ministry of Food agreed to contracts of an aggregate value of approximately £900,000 being made for New Zealand canners to supply to Britain canned tomato and other vegetable products. Th<> poor season for ripening tomatoes contributed to the non-fulfilment of the whole programme, but the results achieved give grounds for the hope that New Zealand canners will have the opportunity to build up markets abroad for products of this type. SECTION 14—FACTORY CONTROL Further improvement during the year in supplies of commodities of which earlier shortages had made control and allocation necessary allowed the list of items subject to the Factory Controller's supervision to be reduced to embrace at 31st March, 1949, only tinplate, manila fibre, galvanized-iron sheet, black-steel sheet and galvanized- and wrought-iron tubing. Supplies of tinplate are again becoming more freely available, and the position with black-steel sheet is better too, although shortages of deep drawing and enamelling qualities still give difficulty. Items released from control during the year included such important commodities as tobacco and cigarettes, container board, and paraffin wax.

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