SHIPPING FREIGHTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVIII, Issue 18574, 29 November 1920, Page 6

SHIPPING FREIGHTS.

MR MASSEY MAKES PROTEST. CABLEGRAM TO IMPERIAL AUTHORITIES. The recent increases in shipping freights were among the matters mentioned to the Prime Minister at Wellington on Friday by a deputation representing the Chambers of Commerce Conference. .

Mr J. Ti Martin said the exporters had been kept in a state of uncertainty regarding freight. They understood that the heavy increase on cheese freights was a profit *° *^ 6 Dup*-" 8 * Government. The increase affected 65,000 tons of cheese, of which 15,000 tons had been sold c.i.f. The rest of the cheese was going to England on open consignment, and the extra freight Meant a loss to the producers of £214,000 on top of a drop of about £lO per ton in price. The world had a surplus of general shipping freight at present, but not of insulated freight. The British Government had a virtual monopoly of insulated space. He iioped the Government would make strong i'eSiesentatiohs to the Imperial authoriies.

Mr Massey: It has been done already. The Prime Minister said he knew that the shipping companies' expenses had increased enormously since 1914, and that very little, decrease in the costs of running ships had taken place .But he Still could not believe that the recent increases in the freights had been fully justified. He referred particularly to the big increases in the charge for the carriage of cheese. Insulated space was still under the control of the Imperial Government, and would remain so until the end of April next, but lie feared that the men now in charge of shipping in London were not so considerate or the interests of the Dominion as the earlier Shipping Controller, Sir Joseph Maclay, had been. He had cabled to the High Commissioner, asking him to make representations to the Imperial authorities on the point, and he had also sent the following cablegram through the Governor. General to the Colonial Secretary (Lord Mihaer): —"A representative deputation of New Zealand cheese producers waited on the Prime Minister to-day, and" called special attention to the fact that recently there had been serious increase in freights on cheese between New Zealand and -England. The old rate was ljd per lb, plus 6 per cent. The new rate is ljd, plus 10 per cent. This increase has been made just after the sale of New Zealand cheese had been agreed upon as between the producers in the Dominion and the merchants in the United Kingdom. The pecuniary loss involved by those increases will be serious, and the deputation pointed out that as it was expected that the Ministry of Shipping would give up control of insulated space on April 80 next, the present increased rate would be taken advantage of by the shipping companies engaged in the New Zealand trade after that date, at the expense of the New Zealand producers. The Prime' Minister would be glad if you would look into this matter, and endeavour to bring about reduction in rates of freight as indicated herein. The Prime Minister adds that there is also extreme 1 dissatisfaction with the increased rates ; of freight proposed to be charged for, other commodities as well as cheese.— j (Signed) Jellicoe."Mr Massey added that he had not yet received replies to either of his cablegrams. The delay might be due to the absence of the High Commissioner from London during the sitting of the League of Nations at Geneva.