EXPORT OF PRODUCE.
SHIPPING FACILITIES.
PROVISION DURING WAR.
URGENT ACTION URGED.
REVIEW OF THE ' POSITION. A v»ry .-sung and important statenif■;■.: Mimmarising the position of the primary producers in the event of there being insufficient ships to carry produce to England, was made yesterday by Mr. A. ' Schmitt, secretary of the Auckland Farmers' Union. " So long as there are ships to carry New Zealand produce to Europe," said Mr. Schmitt, "we may regard the forthcoming season as one of the most profitable New Zealand has eve- known. But there is some uncertainty as to whether there will be freights available after October, and the longer this uncertainty exists the worse will be the effect upon business. Merchants do not report, as yet, that the export trade is otherwise than satisfactory, but there is a certain amount of uneasiness, which will become more pronounced as all the available ships and storeroom are booked up. " Buyers cannot, at present, draw upon their letters of credit, and advances cannot be obtained upon produce from the banks unless shipment is certain. There is no disturbance of financial conditions at present, because there are ships in sight for all the produce offering; but, as soon as freights are not available, sellers will not be liable to get advances, and, where they cannot aff»-*t to wait indefinitely on their money, they will suffer inconvenience accordingly. As soon as the limit of the capacity of our cool stores is reached, the., freezing works must stop freezing, and the dairy factories must stop producing, s "Personally, I think that if such a position is likely to arise the freezing works should reduce operations quickly. Stock need not be lost, and can be fattened again, but it is much more difficult to alter the output of dairy factories. Cows must be milked, whether there are ships to carry produce or not. " We have "every confidence in the Government. The Government evidently realises the seriousness of tne position and the necessity of allaying anxiety by giving producers and exporters an assurance that ships will be. available when the rush season of the dairying industry— November and December— commenced. But we cannot too strongly emphasise the real I seriousness of the position, and the need | iot the Government to protect our export • trade by prompt and comprehensive i action. !
"At present, farming activities are 1 going on just as usual, and they will con. timie to do 60 as long as sales can be made. But as soon as there is any un- | certainty as to delivery, and buyers will not take a risk, there will be 4 severe i handicap put upon farmers, and the conn- j try must begin to feel the pinch. j "It has been suggested that the 20 German boats captured in Australian j ports should have been utilised as trans- 1 ports, leaving the ships which have now ' been fitted as transports, and which have ! refrigerating chambers, free for their i ordinary work as carriers of produce, j Certainly, the taking over of our produce- j carriers should have been adopted only as j a last resort. With plenty of ships, there j need be no anxiety about the effect of i the war on this country; without an ade- ' quate shipping service, we will suffer more ' or less severely. The sooner the Govern- j ment can allay anxiety on this score the better. Under present conditions it is impossible to make forward contracts, bevond October, for dairy produce or frozen meat. " Trade generally is very good. Farmers are showing no hesitation in buying seed, I manures, grain, and other farm requirement. There is not, however, the same tendencv to buy new machinery and things of that kind when tbo old articles mav be made to do in the meantime; and there is certainlv a. marked restriction in the purchase of luxuries, such as drapery, little niceties in groceries and things of (hat kind." - ' 1 PRICES OP MEAT. HANDICAP "ON EXPORTS. " I do not sea any immediate prospect , of a decrease in the retail prices of meat ' in New Zealand," said a leading Auckland ' auctioneer when interviewed yesterday. " The war has created an exceptional demand for frozen meat in London. New Zealand buyers, buying to meet that de- j maud, have met the New Zealand butchers ! in competition in the stock markets, and the price of cattle has gone up by 2s or 3s per 1001b. So long a-s ships are available, the buyers will pontinue these operations. It is bad for the New Zealand consumer, but very good for the producer, and the ultimate economic result will be to the great advantage of New Zealand. " At present there appears to be a sufficient number of ships to carry away the meat, but the prospects 0? securing freights after October are not favourable. As soon a<s even it appears that there are not sufficient ships available, and the stores are becoming full, the operations of buyers will be restricted. "In Auckland, the supply of stock offering is not sufficient to meet the demand. The fattening of stock by the fanners is based entirely on a normal demand; if such an unexpected abnormal demand as this were to be fully satisfied, the stock producers would have to have many months' notice of it. This abnormal demand will continue during the currency of the war, and stock-producers everywhere, of course, are now making preparations to take, advantage of it. " I am very hopeful that our insistent demand for freights will be provided for and this country will reap the benefit of the very high prices now ruling for produce." QUESTIONS IN THE HOUSE. MEAT TO AMERICA. [BY TELEGRAPH—SPECIAL CORRESPOXnKNT.] Wellington', Tuesday. In the House of Representatives this evening Mr. J. A. Hanan asked the Prime Minister if the Government would follow the lines of Canada and Australia by confining the country's exports to Great Britain and the Empire. Hon. F. M. B. Fisher: That was done a month ago. The Prime Minister said that probably Mr. Hanan had noticed that the export of wheat and flour had been prohibited, and that there was now a prohiibtion on th© export of oats, except as regarded exportation to portions of the Empire. Foodstuffs were allowed to be sent to the Islands because they were to a large extent dependent on New Zealand for food supplies. A number of New Zealand merchants had entered into meat and other contracts with America, and it had ' not been deemed necessary vet to take . any step which would interfere with these dealings.
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Bibliographic details
New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15715, 16 September 1914, Page 5
Word Count
1,099EXPORT OF PRODUCE. New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15715, 16 September 1914, Page 5
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