POTATOES FOR THE NORTH ISLAND

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25549, 17 July 1948, Page 8

POTATOES FOR THE NORTH ISLAND

MERCHANTS ASKED TO REDUCE SHIPMENTS MARKETS SAID TO BE OVER-SUPPLIED From Our Own Reporter TIMARU. July 16. Inquiries made in Timaru to-day showed that, merchants still take a serious view of the potato position, although five vessels are expected to load potatoes at Timaru for North Island ports (including Auckland) in the next two weeks. When the embargo was lifted on the importation of potatoes from the South Island to the North, it was apparent that there were still considerable quantities of North Island potatoes on the market, and now even after shipping hold-ups caused by the iviountparx dispute, merchants in Timaru are being asked to reduce or hold up their snipments to North Island ports because the market was over-supplied, said a merchant to-day. A Timaru merchant to-day showed a reporter telegrams from Wellington firms which showed that the market was over-supplied with potatoes. An Auckland merchant has written to the Timaru merchant seeking to cancel a contract order.

In spite of the hold-ups, Auckland had not gone without potatoes, said merchants to-day. A general oversupply of potatoes was the cause of the difficulties facing South Island growers. In Timaru it is felt that there may still be a considerable surplus, of potatoes left at the end of the season, in spite of the fact that North Canterbury merchants seem to take a more optimistic view of the situation. 70.000 Sacks Already Shipped About 70,000 sacks of potatoes had been shipped from Timaru this season, said the local manager of the Union Steam Ship Company (Mr L. J. Warren) to-day. This was an improvement on last year’s figures, he said. Five vessels would load potatoes as well as other commodities at Timaru for the North Island in the next two to three weeks, said Mr Warren. They were the Pakura (for Wellington), the Wainui (Gisborne and Napier), the Kairangi and the Waipiata (Auckland), and the Waipahi (New Plymouth) .

In spite of increased shipments this season, there was still a long way to go before the bulk of the crop had been moved, said a merchant, whi estimated the North Canterbury crop at 320,000 sacks, and the South Canterbury crop at 250,000. This was a total of 570,000 sacks, of which 183,000 had so far been shipped, he said. To cope with the South Island crop it would be necessary for the North Island demand to persist until Decembei —an extraordinary period, he said. In a letter to the Mayor of Timaru (Mr A. E. S. Hanan) received to-day, the Prime Minister (Mr P. Fraser) states that the Government is making every endeavour to bring about a settlement of the shipping dispute and to arrange for the shipment of potatoes from the South Island. Mr Fraser was replying to representations from Mr Hanan, who drew the Prime Minister’s attention to the irony of the Aid for Britain posters asking for the savins of bread, when such vital commodities linked with bread as potatoes and wheat were held up bv shipping difficulties in New Zealand. The Prime Minister said that the Ministers concerned would give their full attention to the matters raised bv Mr Hanan.