THE SHIPPING PROBLEM.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 127, 29 May 1918, Page 6

THE SHIPPING PROBLEM.

SIDELIGHTS ON CONTROL. Valuable information respecting the shipping problem, and more directly the control thereof, with the resultant inticr •working, was given by Mr. W. D. Lysnar, of Gisborue, during consideration of remits pertaining to the meat trust, at the Farmers' Union conference yesterday. Mr. Lysnar said that the control of shipping was originally in the hande of the Board of Trade in London and the Shipowners' Committee of London, with a shipowners' committee in New Zealand, with one Government representative on it. Later, after protests as to the doings of these controlling committees, said Mr. Lyenar.SirJosppli Macleay was appointed as shipping controller. Mr. Lyenar stated that the later facts showed that Sir Joseph Macleay still leaves the control to the Board of Trade and shipowners committee. In justification of this statement he quoted extracts from correspondence that transpired between the Rt. Hon. Mr. Masscy and Sir Joseph Macleay on March 29, 1917, referring to the "withdrawal of certain New Zealand steamers. Sir Joseph Macleay stated : " These have been made at the instamyi or with the full concurrence of the Board of Trade, which ia the authority responsible for supplies of meat to the Navy and Army." Later, Mr. Lysnar said, in a letter dated May 14, 1917, he referred to Mr tfasacy'e wishes being anticipated by the Australasian Refrigerated Tonnage Committee meaning the Shipowners' Committi>e. In support of his statement about the diversion of our shipping, Mr. Lysnar quoted from a report set up by the Board of Trade of London, where it stated that during the early part of the war, for sufficient reasons, one British-owned line was allowed to continue running between River Plate and New York. The facts showed, o ajd Mr. Lysnar. that a large amount of meat was conveyed from Argentine to New York, stored there, and then re-exported to England. The same committee's report snowed that prior to the War Argentina had 500,000 tons of shipping capacity. Today, he said, they eonLl carry 450.000 tons. In 1016 Argentina imported into England a total of 240.270 tons of meat, which was a little more than half of her insulated tonnage capacity. The committee's report, he said, further showed that Australasia's tonnage was 520,000 tons capacity, while in 1!)16 Australasia only exported 209.468 tons, comprising 51.343 tons from Australia and 158.12:) from New Zealand. The significant statement in this Board of Trade report, was, he said, that they did not say that they were not using their tonnage because of submarines or exigencies of the war, but the report contained these words: '" Tlieir tonnage, however, is largely required for butter, cheese, rabbits and fru-ts." Those who he (Mr. Lysnar) was addressing, knew, he said, that that was not a correct statement of facts. Rabbits had been prohibited from export, and the exports of butter and cheese restricted. The remits suggesting action in the matter were unanimously adopted.