FREIGHT SHORTAGE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 141, 4 March 1918, Page 9

FREIGHT SHORTAGE

COASTAL SHIPPING AFFECTED-

For some time there has been a; shortage of shipping freight for. East ■Coast north Island trade.- The position is a serious one, for Canterbury is now'ih the'.midst.of its grain and seed season, and is the'principal supplier of the North Island... Tho trouble'has alremly caused-a serious limitation- of business. ■'■■..:.- . - ,- : -. : '. • "At one time," 1 stated a/merchant to ; a Cliristchurcli ""Sun" .'representative, "there was a .regular tinie-taWe : qf. two' vessels a weokfor Gisbome'arid Auck-.. land,'together with an occasional extravossoi. j.-Now,. on. art. average',--we do not got- a vessel once in tc-h days-.from tho Union Company; ■. The Hnddart-■ Parker Company occaaioniiliy'sends a. vessel north, but not. move- frequently than once a month. In consequence the obtaining of space' has. become a hopeless matter.. In fact, I' understand that in the case of several ship-, monts lately only from 10 to 20 per cent of tho total' space. applied for. could bo given.- , Tho allocation I re-coived-'.worked'out at that.": ' . '_ Tho merchant.stated that tho main , market at present was Auckland, and its demand was extremely . keen for "produce. Amongst tho lines-needed urgently was chaff, but this could not. uc carried owing to a preference given (and possibly' quite rightly) to gram, root produce, arid seeds. .' ■ . • That values were being .kept''artificially high owing to tho fnct that Auckland Tints'were not being satisfied, was tho opinion of another merchant. On'two occasions fairly recently there had been three weeks' interval between boats to Auckland. , Tho position was becoming an impossible one. It was understood that a special wheat-carry-ing vessel was likely to be put on, but nothing definite was known as to whether she would be kept on regularly, or -whether tho relief was only going to be temporary. Personally, owingto the shipping position, ha had had to refuse a fair quantity of business. "The main trouble in tho past has not so much been the lack of shipping availabio, but the fact that the. tonna"o is not always fully utilised, said a produc'o merchant. "Shipping prospects for the next week or so are. /brighter; - but; the Union Company 'should reorganise its system of loading. Its vessel will arrive in the morning, but it-leaves again the same evening, and sufficient time is not always given to load fully. Often.in the past the vessel' wrald havo a quantity ot cargo to unload;on. tho same day, which made the position worse. Possibly matters •■have been improved by the late train, which will allow a longer working time. ; In the interests ot efficiency there should be a prohibition ; on vessels leaving with .cargo space available when produce ' is awaiting shipment. Regulations prevent .this in the British coastal trade, so why not here? The tiuio has como when it is absolutely necessary that every inch'of (freight should bo utilised. Grain and produce for Dominion markets aro now in a worse position than formerly, for much of tho Lyttelton and Christchurch storago space is being used for frozen meat, wool, etc. fact, the Harbour Board' has notified sovoral merchants that.it will not be responsible if storage space at ..Lyttelton is not available -unless it is booked." This merchant, .stated that last woek tho allotments for Auckland and Gisborne shipping space were onetonth of that asked for. In the present state of the grain business,, a congestion could easily result, and the consequences would 'be serious. Farmers Generally had not the facilities for storage. This month only two boats had left for Auckland, although it was understood that two would leave this week—one being a lhiddart-Parker vos-sf-1. Ho could support tho statements that the freight position; was limiting and affecting business, and was also keeping value artificially ' high . both here and in Auckland. : He also added that it was a matter of continual comment that brewery lines," which utilised such a large amount of-space, appeared to have no trouble in the matter o, shipment. !■