SHORTAGE OF SHIPS

Marlborough Express, Volume LI, Issue 96, 25 April 1917, Page 4

SHORTAGE OF SHIPS

GREAT INCREASE IN FREIGHT

In a review of' the shortage of shipping tonnage as It; affects New Zealand, the annual ''report of the }Vellin'g'tooL Chamber of Commerce acknowledges that during the past,' yea,r the problem of, sea transport for .NewZealand exports,;was - ai^diffieuit's<ojnef "but it'is Very satisfactoiy to note that the Shipping Committee, which regulates shipping movements, was successful in providing sufficient space to lift ultiniately all last year's produce.'? Belays in shipment were inevitable; preference.. being given to foodstuffs, /and wool, while some classes of : goods (hemp, , for instance) had often to^wait months before s,paee was obtainable. 'JJV'opl was wanted to supply, the mills of Yorkshire for clothing for troops, while foodstuffs were; required: both,•'■for the ".Army/ arid for the civil population of \ the iQld Country. The Imperial Government, the -Dominion Government, and the shipping companies themselves combined in seeing /that shipping space was provided. •.. ''yh' "■'; '": -X ' . .■';'' ?'■ •":.;." ; Both intercolonial and coastal .-services have been and.>there were times When it was impossible for Southern shippers to obtain space for fodder and .similar .products sol^/to the -;■•'.;.',^^'Pommdnw^altfii--'^ v ;^.gliJppiag: freights the world 'of efihave rincreased enormously; ' freights-'' tl^ the: Fhited Kingdom on the ■Dominion's products have increaf?ed in synrpatliy-p-'in'.-some instarices the rate Jof (iiicrease beitig 200 per, cent, to 3pO per cent, on jpre 7 w.'ir ; rates. Iritercbloiiial. ireigKts, although considerably 'higher ' than previously,; have not been increased, in the same1 proportion.. Vessels, -of all kinds; which were deemed to have been long past, service have been, refitted as freighters arid become profitearning.-- '■•■'. ''''■'.'' y;' *.'•'..' .;',.■■■ '~. Notwithstanding, the war, .there, have been few years in which, more new services to New ' Zealand '... have been , inaugurated.' Following the large increase in trade between Australasia and Japan, Japanese . com? panics sent officials to report on the prospects of success of; a regular seiv vice between New Zealand and Japan. The Nippon Yusen Kaisha has. decided to extend its cargo service to this country, and it is understood that the N'.Y.K. : will profbably continue a two-monthly service. The Osaka Shosen Kaisha's first steamer will arrive in New Zealand shortiv. The difficulty presenting itself to the Japanese shipping companies appear to be that there is freight offering from Japan to Australia and New Zealand, but from New Zealand, particularly; it is at the present time, at any rate, almost impossible to get a back loading. . The past year has al^o s^en important developments in the■ shipniiig servico between the Dominion and +-lie United. States of America! Tlie Luckenbach Line of cargo steamers has inaugurated a repruln'r service from New York to the nrincinal ports of the Dominion. Another important feature has been, the development in

the trade by oar do steamers between the Western Coast of America and New Zealand. -[ So far. as shinpmc; in Wellinehon 'is concerned, it is iiiterestiug t-n note that one nhipping firm has during the past eighteen -months purchnsctl three wpll-kn6wn pniilers, now trading; to and from ;New Zealand-port^-