UNITED STATES MEAT TRADE

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29391, 19 December 1960, Page 18

UNITED STATES MEAT TRADE

“Too Many Ships On Service” “The Press” Special Service WELLINGTON, December 19. The number of ships in the meat trade to North America is to be cut at the request of the Meat Producers’ Board. The new German-owned Tas-man-Pacific service last month cut refrigerated cargo freight rates by 10 per cent. The move was followed by its competitors, the Crusader Shipping Company, Ltd., an offshoot on the Conference Lines, and the )Danish-owned Lauritzen Line, which pioneered the trade more than three years ago. Wellington agents for the Lauritzen Line gave notice that one of their two ships on the service, the Indian Reefer, was to be withdrawn. The Meat Board is also understood to have suggested that the Crusader company should have only one ship in the service. The Pacific manager for the Crusader company (Mr A. J. Stewart) said that the line was using only one ship, the Saracen. in the trade. The chairman of the Meat Board (Mr J. D. Ormond) said he had expressed the opinion that too many ships could be competing. He had asked if the number of ships on the service could be reduced. He confirmed that the companies had been assured that the entry of the Tasman-Pacific service into the trade would fiot prevent their getting loadings in the Dominion.