COLD STORAGE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1076, 15 March 1911, Page 6

COLD STORAGE.

POSITION OF NEW ZEALAND SHIPPERS. (By TelcEraDh.-Special Correspondents Auckland, March 14. The director of tho commercial division of tho Department of Agriculturo and Tourists (Mr. R. M. Wilson), replying under date of March 9 to a lcttci forwarded to him by J. B. Macowan. Ltd., of Port Street, on tho subject Or cold storage on Vancouver steamers, states:

"I note your remarks with reference to provision of refrigerating space for New Zealand shippers, and am pleased to inform you that steps havo already been taken in the. direction indicated. Tho contract with tho Union Steam Ship Company provides that New Zealand shippers are to havo a first refusal of all spaco for freight so long as no subsidy is being paid by the Commonwealth Government. No discrimination in rates of freight, passenger accommodation, or passenger rates is to he mado against New Zealand, whether a subsidy is paid or not. No doubt this arrangement will be satisfactory to you." To this letter J. B. Macewau, Ltd.. have in-plied as follows: "While it looks as if tlio interests of New Zealand shippers have had careful consideration, judging from the experience of Australian shippers with their direct service to Vancouver it is well to 1 anticipate developments as far as possible. Tho Union Company, it appears, called for. tenders in Sydney for tlio refrigerating space covering pos.sibly the whole of the shinning seasou. and as it is often impossible for many shippers to gauge what space tVy aro likely to require more than a month or so ahead, we aro informed that oue or two of tho larger interests practically secure control."