CANADIAN STATE SHIPS.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 172, 21 July 1921, Page 8

CANADIAN STATE SHIPS.

. » COLD STORAGE EXPERIMENT. A new mercantile marine flag that has made its appearance in Xew Zealand ports since the war is that of the Canadian C.'overnment line of steamers, and efforts to establish a regular trade between Australasia and the Canadian western ports have been sustained. In consideration of the facts that there is a weciprocal tariff between Xew Zealand and Camilla, and that the great bulk of this Dominion's export consists of butter, cheese,/and frozen meat, endeavours had been made during the past two years to induce the Canadian Government to provide insulated space in its ships, without which the development of shipping trade lictween the two Dominions could not be fostered to any extent. As a result about a dozen of the Canadian State fleet of fifty odd ships have been fitted with refrigerating machinery, and the first of these to visit these waters was the Canadian Skirmisher, which arrived at Auckland from Vancouver on Saturday. The Skirmisher, a vessel of 8350 tons deadweight, has four cold storage departments, capable of holding: about 200 tons of cargo, and. this space was occupied when the ship reached Auckland with frozen fish for Australia. While this cold storage space is not extensive it indicates that the Canadian Government is open to conviction on the possibility of inter-trade between Australasia and Western Canada. The big Dominion has frozen tish and, in the season, fruit to oiler Xew Zealand, in exchange for butter, cheese, and frozen beef, lamb, and milt ton. Australia lias also an eye on limited cold Btorage space available, so that the elTort to find an increasing market in Canada for New Zealand produce is bound to meet with opposition.