THE SHIPPING QUESTION.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 169, 22 August 1914, Page 10

THE SHIPPING QUESTION.

NORMAL TIMES APPROACHING. NEW ZEALAND SAFE. (Sun Special.) . WELLINGTON, August 21. The question of the shipment of produce is undoubtedly a matter of the greatest importance. This may be gauged from the fact that the British Admiralty has sent out an order for the speedy consignment of 25,000 bags of New Zealand oats. There seems to have' been quite a panic among exporters, the "prevalent feeling in all quarters of the vl)ominion being that it would be exceedingly difficult to make arrangements for the shipment of produce for the present. As a result of an interview ;/with the manager of one of the largest shipping companies, THE SUN representative ascertained to-day that fears on this score were absolutely groundless. As a matter of fact, a consider- . able amount of trouble was experienced ' in booking consignments of produce to properly ballast the transports that are ' to take away the troops forming the J Expeditionary Force. The cry raised by those who have a few crates of rabbits, etc., to send away that they do not know how to arrange for shipment is quite ridiculous. The Admiralty has to l.e consulted about every •ship that leaves New Zealand for Great Britain, in case that it might be iieeded as a transport, but nothing has been done so far which will interfere ■with ordinary trade. If intending consignors will only communicate with the . shipping companies, stating when they desire to. send away produce, they will ■ find that their shipments will be duly •provided for without delay. r • THE PANIC. ' ] The panic among consignors is on a !;par with that among private employers j "who, on the first word of war, thought J:they should start "sacking" employees. :!There has never been any occasion for : supposing that British trade would- be iin any way affected by the war. Britain has command of the seas, and, from the present progress of events, is not likely to lose it, so that her oversea may reckon upon the continuance of ordinary trade without any Undue cost in regard to war insurance. The opinion the shipping agent conveyed yesterday was that, while for the present there will be no difficulty in shipping all produce that comes forward, within a couple of weeks a , aiormal condition of affairs will have reached. 3 THE GROWING OF WHEAT.

Interviewed to-day, the Prime Minister stated that he had been interesting in the question of more wheat '.--cultivation during the coming season. ' He had been strongly advising the farmers to extend their cereal Cultivation as much as possible, and he yesterday ar- , ranged with the Railway Department to have seed wheat and fertilisers ear - , xied at one-third the usual freight. So far as shipping was concerned, Mr Massey said it was going on as usual. There : were sixteen large vessels belonging to the companies trading with t; Hew Zealand that were either here now, ( .!<or were due to arrive within a month. ' It was not certain whether any of these ■would; be required for war transport

purposes, but, in any case, not more .<.than. two would be wanted. Therefore fourteen may be relied upon as being .available for carrying New Zealand products to British markets. . DEFENCE OP NEW ZEALAND. The Minister of Defence stated that all sorts of suggestions continued to ,pour in regarding the military corps, but he felt that he would not be justi£ed in sanctioning any expenditure on not included in the Territorial scheme. It was exceedingly . gratifying to find such patriotic fervour prevalent, and of course it meant the "stimulation of fresh interest in the Territorial Forces. Mr Allen said he liad ud fear of New Zealand shores being attacked. There was no possibility in axvv case of an enemy landing in large numbers. Any party that did land could be easily dealt with by the Ter- ; ritorial Force. Thirty thousand trained. m . Territorials were enough for the defence of New Zealand, and this would be the irexteift of the Force next year. As to those who had suggested the organisation of a, Legion of Frontiersmen, all t he could say was, that they should apply t for service abroad, or join the existing clubs. -

a - r \ NO DEPRESSION. . 'J&i! ■jjjj,.. Press Association. vot Vi. . WELLINGTON, August 21. (inquiries made amongst the wholesale houses and general importers top. sa;yi went to show that there is no derepression in the drapery trade, and . spring and summer stocks will be up as usual. Upon the declaration of war there was a set-back, but \kow 'trade is returning to normal. , -There lias bten a falling-off in' the •v ' "fancy departments, and the tailoring business has suffered. Grocers are still ' dding good business, and it appears that larger stocks than usual are being ordered -by customers. -There is a block in the drug trade, owing to the fact that Germany practically supplied the world with certain <cl3,sses of drugs. The pastrycooks in the country centres report that business is bad. i THE DEMONSTRATION. GOVERNMENT OrriCES TO BE CLOSED. - f - The Mayor has received the following telegram from the Prime Minister: * '.Regarding your telegram of yesterWfr- : 'd.Q,y t the Public Service Commissioner Jgvv inforifrs me that he has instructed all offices in Christchurch, ex!^it 51cept the- Post and Telegraph Office, to |jpiPt>e -closed on the afternoon of Monday, The Post and Telegraph be instructed to work with a I am also in communithe Minister of Railways his ' 3 AMBULANCE STATIONS. officer in charge of the St. John Brigade desires it to be to the public that ambulance Wf -stations will be established on the route ' of the procession at the following > r - places:—Trades Ilall, Strange's cor---"~fior, "King George Hotel, Lower High il - Street, Christchurch railway station, corner Colombo and Tuam Streets, Turnbull and Jones, Cashel Street west, A 1 Hotel, Colombo Street; Post Office, Cathedral Square; Masonic Hotel, Gloucester Street entrance; Eink Taxis, Victoria Square; Normal School, Peterborough Street;, and Girls' High School, Cranmer Square. A special feature of the brigade's work will be looking after children who may have missed their parents. THE BURNIIAM BAND. The Minister of Eailways ' refused the request of the Executive Committee that the boys of the

Burnham Band should be permitted to travel free on the railway to Christchurch to take part in tlie procession. Tho Mayor has received a letter from the Minister, stating that many requests of the kind have been received. If one were granted it would be necessary to grant all. In that case the loss in railway revenue would be considerable. "The Patriotic Fund," he said, "is intended to be in addition to the ordinary revenue, but, if free trains are to be run and the railway revenue so reduced, the money collected for the Patriotic Fund becomes, as far as the loss on railway revenue is concerned, a substitution of one revenue for another.''

The Canterbury Automobile Association are making a special effort to ensure the success of their part in the demonstration. Mrs F. W. Johnston and Mr R. Herdman-Smith have been appointed judges of the decorated motor cars. The motor rides for the public, in which over 100 cars will be engaged, will start from the north-east corner of Cranmer Square, and a large number of young ladies have given their services, and will sell tickets along the route of the procession and in Cranmer Square. Special precautions have been taken for the protection of the public by fencing off. a proportion of Kilmore Street near Park Terrace. Derry's Private Band will take part in the demonstration. Members will meet at the band room at 1.15 p.m.