PRODUCE FOR ENGLAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 57, 8 March 1923, Page 4

PRODUCE FOR ENGLAND.

170,000 BOXES OF BUTTER. 32,022 CARCASES OF MEAT. STEAMERS LOADING THIS WEEK. Large quantities of produce from all parts of the Auckland province are now being lifted by ocean-going steamers at the two main wharves, the King's and Queen's. Butter and cheese from the many factories of the Waikato. meat from Westfield and other freezing works, wool from the far north and from the south, gum from the northern gumlands, and various by-products of the dairying and freezing industries are being lifted into the capacious holds of five ocean liners us fast as the watersiders can load them into the slings, and the Harbour Board's cranes and the numerous deck winches can lift them from the wharves to the steamers. The coastal fleet is also busily engaged bringing in produce from outports to be shipped at Auckland, and large quantities are being landed every week from the Bay of Plenty and the East Coast ports as far south as Gisborne. By far the greater portion of the cargo consists of butter and frozen meat which is loaded into the insulated holds of the steamers, and is for shipment to London, Avonmouth, Liverpool and Glasgow; but a consideraoie portion of produce is also being lifted for New York and Boston. The total quantities of produce shipped this week are approximately:—Butter 170,000 boxes, cheese 13,300 crates, frozen meat 32,022 carcases, wool 9,300 bales. BERTHING ACCOMMODATION TAXED. As is usually the case in times of exceptional activity in port, the berthage accommodation is fully taken up, and is sometimes over-taxed. The result yesterday was that the Port Curtis had to remain at anchor in the stream until the middle of the afternoon when a berth was made vacant for her by the departure of the Niagara. The loading work has, fortunately, been favoured by a set of circumstances which have made it possible to lift the maximum of produce in the minimum of time, and for this reason the week, March 2nd to nth, 1923, should constitute something like a record for Auckland as far as outward cargo is concerned. Up to this morning, cot a single drop of rain had fallen to interrupt the loading operations; long lines of trucks have been seen on the wharves with produce for shipment as soon as the steamers were tied up; and produce carted by wagon or motor vehicle was in some cases stacked in the large sheds on the wharvea before the ships came in, ready for loading at the shortest notice, and no delay to the steamers. All the vessels that have been loading this week, and are loading, are new steamers, built within the last six years, with the exception of the Niagara which is ten years old. They have all been fitted out specially for the refrigerator business, except, of course, the Niagara, and are all speedy steamers, capable of at least twelve knots, under ordinary conditions, and of thirteen knots under the best conditions. The Armagh, in fact, holds the record for the fastest passage from Liverpool to Adelaide, a run which she made in 32J days, leaving Liverpool on November 25, 1021, and arriving at Adelaide on December 28th. She averaged more than 15 knots on that voyage, and several of the best day's runs were over 16 knots. Steaming into Auckland last Friday afternoon, the Armagh was doing as much as 16.2 knots and rivalled the Niagara in her outward appearance of seaworthiness. Next to the Niagara she is the largest ship in the Union Company's fleet, and can carry 14,100 tons deadweight cargo. THE LOADING STEAMERS. The Port Curtis, which is the largest single screw steamer that has ever entered this port, will load 30,000 boxes of butterj 1,000 bales of wool and between four and five hundred tons of general cargo for New York, Boston and London. The Westmoreland loaded 32,000 boxes of butter, 8,080 crates of cheese, and 10,114 freight carcases of meat for Londen. The Niagara loaded 9,000 boxes of butter, 1.300 freight carcases of meat, and 7,000 bags of onions, as well as irencral cargo, for Vancouver. The Armagh is loading 48.600 boxes of butter, 5,300 crates of cheese, 8,600 freight carcases of meat, 1,000 bales of wool, 280 casks of tallow, 15 tons of gum. and also small items for London. The Mahana is loading 4,000 freight carcases of meat. 7.611 bales of wool. 325 casks of tallow. 950 sacks of kauri gum and 20 sacks of gum dust, and 186 bales of transhipped wool, for London, 166 bales being from Russell and 20 from Whakatane. The Piako is loading 30.000 boxes of butter for Avonmouth, 1,000 frozen carcases of mutton for Liverpool, and 7,000 freight carcases of beef for Glasgow. Next week the Corinthic will arrive to load about 60.000 boxes of butter, and 8.500 crates of cheese for London; and the Port Napier to load 40,000 boxes of butter and general cargo for London, and at the end of the month the Port Napier will load 8,000 crates of cheese.