WAR AND TRADE.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15263, 27 April 1915, Page 6

WAR AND TRADE.

CONGESTION IN LONDON.

EXPORTERS* TROUBLES. (•TiriAi, to "mr rF.Ess."\ AUCKLAND. April 26. Tho difficulties encountered in securing regular shipments of goods from London are explained in the following extract from a let tor dated March 31st, received by a leading mercantile firm in Auckland :— • "We are sorry to .-ay wo find it moet difficult.. to * himk.e any shipments; m fact, tilings are going from bad to worse. Quotation.* aiv simply unobtainable, and after they are given and orders accepted, the manufacturer* w\\] not ' then bind themselves to deliver cither as far a< time is concerned or even aa regards pi ice. In most of tho, njunufactorirs rlirro is a .shortage of labour, ' on account of the men having gone to tho war, and in others the makers havo turned up th t » ordinary business in order to supply the sinews, of war which pay them a deal better. The advances on everything are setting be- ■ yond hound-*. We g: , ! tho railway systems closed for many days at n time. Wo cannot get goods moved from Bin mingham. Sheffield, and other industrial centres, and when we do got them ' the docks aro so congested that we can- ' not ship them. When we ar 0 ready to ship th?re are no steimors to take the goods, and cas?s and bales get left ba- * hind on tho pier, which have been waiting "for many As far as crockery is concerned, we have nearly 600 toiiK lying in Liverpool, and cannot got • it shipped. When the next steamer does buvo vc may get about 25 tons shipped, and the rest will bo left behind for future shipment. We can only •assure you that wo are doing our best as ' regards pric?s, selections, substitute, and shipping: inoiv we cannot do. We only hope that during the next fer nionth? we shall be able to get bettor •' supplies forward to enable you to keep trade together. There are no packing cases to bo had. and no carters to bring' and deliver goods. The reason thtra ar 0 so few ships carrying cargo for Neir - Zealand U on account of tho prepari-. tiou and dispatch of war material aad■men to the front, ko it looks as if tb« export trade is going to have a very uphill time of it."