DISPATCH OF SHIPS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 13, 16 January 1941, Page 10

DISPATCH OF SHIPS

CONTRIBUTING FACTOR

TIME LOST IN DOMINION

FARMERS' UNION

OPINION

Though he said that the step decided upon by the British Government was dictated in the main by shipping losses and that the restriction on meat was not altogether unexpected, Mr. A. P. O'Shea, Dominon secretary of the New Zea- ! iand Farmers' Union, contended in an interview last night that time lost in the dispatch of ships from New Zealand must have been a contributing factor. He ssfid that one of the effects of the meat restriction decision would be a further shrinkage in the net national income, and that further sacrifices by the community would be necessary. With the smaller amount of sterling available economy would be absolutely imperative. Mr. O'Shea said he had been in communication by telephone with Mr. W. I W. Mulholland, Dominion president of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, and had discussed the matter with him, so that the views he expressed were not merely his own. j QUICKER TURN-ROUND. If, where it could have been done, the loading and unloading of ships in New Zealand had been speeded up, said Mr. O'Shea, it would have been possible to save a week for each ship in the total time taken for the round voyage. Though it must be recognised that the shipping losses were the main factor influencing the British Government, there could be no doubt that our unenviable record of slackness, strikes, i and hold-ups must have been a con- ' tributing factor, as must also have been | [the higher costs in New Zealand. This, record made it difficult for us to ask I for any special consideration. It was important that this should, be recognised, for while the restrictions on the export of meat might be I only a temporary measure, ii New Zea land wanted to make it possible to gel back to her previous quota when ships i again became available, we would have j to speed up the dispatch of ships. This also had a bearing on the ques tion of getting away our dairy produce. In this regard the Government system of payment for produce f.o.b, would probably require to be revised. NewZealand could only hold her present position in regard to getting away her dairy produce by ensuring that the most economical possible use of the shipping available was mado. On modern ships, it would be possible, by making certain modifications in the procedure of loading, to work the clock round in three shifts. This would not be possible in some of the older ships, but in their case it would be possible to work two shifts of nine hours. Also the working of three shifts during loading would only be possible if watersiders would agree to work in temperatures lower than those regarded as the minimum at the present time.

It should be possible, however, to work three shifts all the time that a vessel was unloading. This would help also in that the men would be fresher than they were under the present method of individuals working long hours. FARMERS' PRODUCE. The Government had given an undertaking that it would purchase all the farmers' produce, but up to the present the Farmers' Union had been unable to get a clarification of how it was to be done. "One of the consequences," added Mr. O'Shea, "will be a diminution of the net national income and there will be less sterling funds available to New Zealand. This means that imports will have to be still further reduced and the community must be prepared to make very considerable further sacrifices. This means also that if any section of the people get further increases in money rewards other sections will have to go seriously short. "The Economic Stabilisation Conference evidently had some such possibility in mind when it made its recommendations, but it is to be regretted that up to the present no attempt has been made to carry those recommendations into effect, and the consequence is that New Zealand is unprepared for this situation. "One fact stands out and must be faced, and that is that the smaller amount of sterling available will render economy absolutely imperative. There will have to be a drastic overhaul of all expenditure in the Dominion, both of public expenditure and that of many individuals. This will create a serious internal situation, which will have to be tackled immediately."