EMPIRE PRODUCE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 169, 19 July 1941, Page 7

EMPIRE PRODUCE

U.S.A. MAY ASSIST

Shipping Problem Is Main

Factor

tuinnl I'rf.ss Association.—Copyright. Rec. 1 p.m. LONDON, July IS. The United States is giving intensive consideration to the proposal that New Zealand and Australian primary produce should be shipped to the western seaboard of America, enabling equal quantities of American produce to be shipped to Britain, thus avoiding long haulage from the Antipodes. This was revealed today by Mr. Harry Hopkins, President Roosevelt's personal envoy, who emphasised that the whole problem was one of shipping.

Mr. Hopkins said it is clear that if there were sufficient ships New Zealand and Australia would ship their produce direct to Britain, but it must not be forgotten that there was a similar shipping problem between New Zealand and Australia and the United States as between Britain and the United States.

Rcfore his departure for London he discussed the question with Mr. F. Langstone. New Zealand Minister of Lands, and Mr. J. G. Coates, a member of New Zealand's War Cabinet, who were on a mission to the United States. America is determined to see that Britain got enough food. This would call for a major change in the United States agricultural economy, and steps were being taken to ensure adequate supplementation of supplies from New Zealand, Australia and Canada. Every American ship moving anywhere in the world would now be regarded as a part of the war effort. This was its primary purpose. In this regard the closest co-operation was being maintained between the British and American authorities.