CONGESTION OF PRODUCE

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25242, 22 July 1947, Page 6

CONGESTION OF PRODUCE

NO RELIEF IN SIGHT SHIPPING CONTROLLER’S STATEMENT No improvement is reported in the serious position created in North Canterbury by the congestion of produce awaiting shipment irom Lyttelton to northern ports—mainly Auckland. The question has been discussed with the Shipping Controller, who says the whole trouble has been caused by the slow turn-round of ships. There is more coastal shipping available than before the war, ftcording to the Controller. , In a statement made to “The Press yesterday by an official of the North Canterbury Grain, Seed and Produce Merchants’ Association it was mentioned that at the end of last week 20,065 tons (ship’s measurement) of cargo was offering for shipment from Lyttelton to the North Island. The bulk of this ednsisted of potatoes, chaff, barley, oats, meal and peas, in that order.

Potato Market May Be Lost From the producer’s point of view the most serious hold-up is that of potatoes. Huge quantities of potatoes are at present held, awaiting shipment, in seed and grain stores, in farmers’ sheds, and in pits on the farm, the latter waiting to be graded and bagged. “We have,” said an official of the association, “only nine weeks to get the crop away. If the potatoes are not shipped north by then we will lose the market for this year, and Canterbury will be left with a huge surplus on its hands. Roughly speaking, only 40 per cent, of the crop has been handled, and, so far, there is no relief in sight. Our association understands that the position in Mid-Canterbury is also serious.” The storage position in and around Canterbury is severely taxed because of the congestion. It is imperative that many stores should be emptied of potatoes, oats, barley, peas, and meal to make room for wool. The North Canterbury association met a few days ago and is keeping in close touch with the situation. Shipping facilities from the South Island to Auckland have been investigated by the New Zealand Grain, Seed and Produce Merchants’ Federation which has its headquarters in Wellington. The question has been discussed with the Shipping Controller by the federation secretary. Slow Turn-Round of Ships The Shipping Controller pointed out that the amount of shipping tonnage available from the South Island to Auckland was entirely adequate to meet the demands of the coastal trade. There was, in fact, a greater tonnage on the coast now than before the war. The whole trouble appealed to be that the ships were not being used effectively as before the war, due to the long time spent in port, loading and discharging, and in this respect the port of Auckland was one of the most difficult. It seemed that the position in Auckland was aggravated by the fact that vessels frequently arrived and berths were not available for them, largely because of shortage of labour, and the shorter working week on the waterfront, thus resulting in a slower turnround of each ship. Compared with before the war, it appeared that some of the ships stayed at Auckland almost as long as it would take them to do one complete trip to the South Island. The Shipping Controller said it would be useless to put on more vessels because they would simply be lying idle at the ports, awaiting discharge and loading. According to the secretary of the federation, estimates received would indicate that there were probably more than 100,000 sacks of grain, seed and produce, including 50,000 to 60,000 sacks of potatoes, as well as thousands of sacks of grain and chaff, for winter feed for stock, awaiting shipment to Auckland from the south. The Shipping Controller was well aware of tne difficulties and was doing all he could to help. _____——