Meat Diversion Inquiry Begins

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31540, 30 November 1967, Page 6

Meat Diversion Inquiry Begins

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, November 28. A Transport Commission inquiry into the assembly of South Island meat heard today that shipping companies had agreed to pay half the extra rail costs involved if the Meat Board’s plan to increase the volume of meat through the ports of Timaru and Bluff were adopted.

The manager of the board (Mr G. Anderson) told the inquiry, which opened in Wellington today, that the board’s plan was designed to hold costs. It was only one of a number of steps which had been taken or must be taken in -the future, he said. “It is obvious that the use of all-weather loading facilities is much to be preferred,” said Mr Anderson, who told the Inquiry . that investigations by the Railways Department, the shipping companies concerned and the board had led to a plan which would give a regular service of refrigerated sailings from Timaru and Bluff to London and Liverpool.

“The decisions reached mean that an estimated 36,000 tons of meat for London and Liverpool from Canterbury works normally shipped through Lyttelton—and from

the N.Z. Refrigerating Company’s works at Bumside, will be diverted through the port of Timaru,” Mr Anderson said. “A further estimated 11,800 tons will go from the works of the South Otago Freezing Company at Finegand to Bluff. “Extra rail costs for the period from January to September, 1968, would amount to some $197,804, based on the situation existing before November 20.” Against this extra cost, shipping companies had said total savings, excluding inland forwarding, could be over 81m if they could usefully employ vessels on all days saved. “If vessels cannot be usefully employed during time saved, and have to remain idle, savings, excluding forwarding, could be below $200,000,” Mr Anderson said.