FREIGHT ON DAIRY PRODUCE.

Evening Star, Issue 12523, 6 June 1905, Page 5

FREIGHT ON DAIRY PRODUCE.

■rp xp® sprrop. Sir,—As negotiations have beep pnterci into hetweeq thp Shaw, Savill phd the New Zealand Shipping Company, ant secretaries of the National Dairy Assqcia tions of the North and South Islands. an< through them the Committees of the Asso ciation, for a new. arid extended contraci lor the carriage of dairy produce, it is, ii my opinion, necessary that the partio: interested should know the terms of th< proposed new contract before the Commit tees in question sign it. By what right d< these Committees enter into and sign i contract for a number of years before the matter has been referred to the partici interested— -viz,, the dairy farmers of Nev Zealand—wno wil! hwo to pay, and do not know to what they are 'being bound. II was stated at the meeting of the Committee of tlie National Dairy Associate dele on the 24th May the coriAv > hac been signed by the North Isb- o- ociation, and a resolution was apthoris uig the president and ■ of the Sooth Island Association to sign this con tract if it could he arranged for five instead of seven years, as proposed. I objected tc this arrangement, and was told that I was the only man in all New Zealand that objected to the new contract. If that is si I am surprised, and will necessarily fee! very lonely. I think the dairy factories and dairy farmers arc entitled to a full and complete answer to the following questions : Ist. What is the reason of the indcccnl haste exhibited in entering into this new contract ? 2nd. Why are the terms of said contraci kept absolutely secret from the various factories interested, and who will have tc pay the freights? 3rd. Are ihc Committees of the National Dairy Association justified in entering into contracts without the knowledge and consent of the parties interested? It is a grave question if the dairy in dustry has ever been treated fairly by the shipping companies in the matter of freight charges. Dairy produce has always paid excessive rates compared with other produce. Frozen mutton is carried at onehalfpenny per lb, butter at three farthings Why is this? They are both carried at the same temperature,' and probably in th( same chamber. I cannot see j,ny reasor except that the shipping companies hav< the power and that might is right. Dairy farmers would probably like tc know why is butter charged a higher rati pound for pound when it takes less space is less liable to damage, and easier tc handle. If we take the space occupied (anc surely space is a matter of the greatest importance m any vessel, seeing that- spaci is the limit of its carrying capacity), meal takes twice the spice of cheese, and nearh twice and a-half the space required foi butter. The space occupied by a ton ol meat is charged £4 13s 4d; the same space would give the exorbitant charge of fron £ls to £l6 for butter. I would urge the dairy farmers to carefully consider this matter. The contracts being made in Ans India for a weekly service by the P. and 0. and Orient mail steamers is as follows: —7-16 of a penny per lb, less 3 per cent, nr about £4 per ton. The White Star Aberdeen, and Lund Line of steamers offei to carry butter at § of a penny net, oi £3 10s a ton, ns against the £6 13s we an at present paying. Now, before any fresl contract is entered into, our dairy factories should see that the price is reasonable and the terms suitable. There need be ni hurry about it, ns it will bo four month! before the next season commences. In mi opinion it would he better for the dain industry to continue the present contract unjust as it is, than enter into an extendct one that will only perpetuate the evfl. 'pie large number of steamers now bein< built, and the keen competition that ii hound to follow, will undoubtedly ensurf more reasonable charges; therefore Iwoulc say that our dairymen do not be satisfier with or sign any contract that does not provide for a freight, of one-halfpenny pci lb net weight Si butter or cheese at tin port of origin.—l am, etc., War. J. Boj.t. .Tim;* R