SHORTAGE OF SHIPS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 152, 28 June 1915, Page 7

SHORTAGE OF SHIPS.

■ i » THREE MORE STEAMERS SECURED FOR NEW ZEALAND. (By Telegraph. -Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Sunday. Three more vessels will be available in August and (Se.ptoniber for the. transport of frozen meat to Great Britain. On .lune IS Mr. Money sent the following cablegram to the High Commissioner:—"With reference to the supply of insulated t-nnnage u> cuablc the pressure in the freezing stores to be removed, and to allow of killing to be resumed, and for the Industry to be maintained in a prosperous condition. 1 must again ask you to be good enough to confer with the Board of Trade with the object of having more steamers provided in August, and to advise mc upon the matter. Further, to ascertain and advise what action will be taken to provide gtearaers for the period from October until the end of the year. 1 must, ask you to convoy to the Board of Trade my sincere and emphatic protest at what has taken place in diverting steamers regularly employed in the New Zealand frozen mea-t trade, such as happened in the ease of the three steamers diverted to the Argentine, and to express my great disappointment that, this was done without my being consulted. At. present there is only one steamer loading frozen meat in New Zealand, and there are over 2.000.000 carcases in the stores. Slaughtering W practically slopped, with the consequence that hands nta» deprived of their employment, and this nt a time ivhen it is .of the utmost importance that their earnings s-hould noc. be alTeeted. From reports I have received, and which I regard as authentic. it. is made clear to mc that things are exceedingly bad. ami that, unless plentiful relief is afforded to clear the stores before the new season commences in October, the position it going to be much worse. The following cablegram was received by Mr. Massey yesterday from the High Commissioner:— "With reference to your telegram of June IS, and my telegram of June 10, ] am pleased \n report that, after much negotiation with the Board of Trade, and the Tonnage Committee, I have succeeded in having added to the list of Btearners available for loading in New Zealand the lndrapura during August, and the Whakarua and Niwaru during September. These three ships will provide additional space fnr 1)00,000 carcases for these two months, which I hoped to get. as indicated in my telegram of June 17. The Tonnage Committee proposes allocating only the insulated space of these steamers to New Zealand, and to fill up with general cargo in Australia. This makes available for loading in New Zea-land nine steamers during July, eight during

August, and eijrht during September."

THE PREMIER'S MESSAGE. (By Telesrrapb-Special V- "Star. , ) WELLINGTON", this Aaj. Tho Prime Minister, in handing the High Conuniesioner'a message to your correspondent, ronarked that ho waf quite pleased with tho result of 'his representations. Tho arrangements out !ino<l will, !«• said, ins! suit Kcw Zealand exporters, because wo would commence the n#w sea-son about October 1 with practically empty stores. As far as he was a-b!* , to jmlpo at. present there nrc about two million carcases in store. AXXIOUS DAIRYMEN. CONTErtENCE AT WHAXGAREI. OSy Telegraph.—Press Assorintion.) WHAN'OABJEI, Sunday. A dairy conference held at Whangarei on Saturday afternoon, and attended by delegates of the Whanprarei, Hikurangi, Waipu, Pania Bay, and Cooporativo Dairy Companies, discussed the shortage of insulated shipping space. The question at issue was whether the companies, with on annual output of 30,000 boxes of butter, should ship from through the Whangarei Freezing Company.

Mr. W. Cutforth. chairman of the conference. >aid that owing to the shortago of ishippinp, the storaze of butter was becoming a problem. The Auckland Freezing Company had two rooms which would accommodate r>o.oool h of butter, and they had tho requisite machinery in the Dominion, but the rooms were not insulated. The company, however, was prepared to make the rooms suitable on condition that the dairy companies found £lfi,oOo. On the other hand. Mr. A. Rowlands, representative of the Whangarei Freezing Company, had made an offer for the local shipment of the butter.

Mr. Rowlands, who attended the eon ference, offered to build a butter store which would -meet all the requirements of the companies and of the Government. The works were being extended, and refrigerating machinery of the latejt type was being installed. The company would charge one shilling per box, receiving at Whangarei or Onerahi, lightering, storing, and putting the butter aboard the oceangoing vessel. The present rate paid by the Auckland companies was 1/li. He guaranteed to make arrangements for fortnightly sailings in normal shipping ftmes, and undertook to meet the conditions of tb« Vancouver trade. The company would require a guarantee of the output of the five companies represented for a period of years before buirding the store.

The conference discussed the oiler in committee, and it was decided that the delegates submit the proposal to their respective companies, the latter to pive the.ir answer on July 6 to the executive committee appointed by the conference.