SHIPS FOR PRODUCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15717, 18 September 1914, Page 7

SHIPS FOR PRODUCE.

NO SPACE AFTER DECEMBER DAIRY COMPANIES' FEARS.

" ALARMING 'POSITION."

SHIPOWNERS URGED TO ACT.

Further representations are being made to the Government and the shipping companies by the New Zealand Dairy Association regarding the urgent necessity for adequate shipping facilities for this season's produce. In his latest letters, Mr. H. E. P,acey, general manager of the association, declares that an alarming position threatens the butter, meat, and cheese industries. Acknowledgment of Mr. Pacey's earlier letter to the Prime Minister on the subject was received from Mr. Massey yesterday. "This matter hag already been engaging my serious attention," the Prime Minister wrote, "and I am hopeful that it may be possible to provide all the space required for the carriage of our produce to English ports. You may rest assured that the Government will do all that it possibly can to see that facilities are provided for the carriage of cargoes to the Homo market." ' • j Writing again to the Prime Minister yesterday, Mr. Pacey said that recent correspondence with the shipping companies with whom the associated dairy companies are under contract, has not encouraged the belief that all the space required will be available. There was

indeed very serious doubt whether j steamers would be available between the ! middle of December and the middle of j January. "There are reasonable ex- j pectations thai the butter will be cleared up to the middle of De- j cember," Mr. Paoey stated " but i unless effective action is taken immediately, there will certainly be trouble during the summer months, when the production is at its maximum. The steamers in Australasia will be altogether in- | adequate for the frozen cargo which will j be offering. The only means of relieving the pressure will be by charter in Great Britain, or other important shipping cen. I tres. We have thought that the enemy's ! ships which have been captured will ! shortly be dealt with by the Prizes Court, ! and that some of these will be suitable i for the work and available for charter." j Advice has been received from the ! Shaw, Savill and Albion Company that it i expects to despatch a steamer in Decern- ! ber, and from this Mr. Pacey gathers that ! no more steamers will be available until the return of the vessels which have been ; chartered as troopships. " This is an altogether alarming position," he re- j marked in a further letter to the manager ' of the company. He urged that if; steamers were not available in Australia, j steamers with refrigerating space could be j chartered and brought to New Zealand j under ordinary freight in time to relieve ! the alarming position which threatens ; I the New Zealand butter, meat, and cheese ' industries. "I think you will recognise," i ■ he continued, " that the millions sterling I j of trade and the industrial and social wel- I fare of tens of thousands of persons re- ! quire that extraordinary measures be | j adopted. An occasion such as the present ' gives opportunity to the associated shipping companies to show the help which I they are prepared to give to their clients. j The difficulties are certainly great, but surely not insurmountable. I trust your J company will take such steps as will avoid j the calamity which would follow two or j three months' cessation of shipping l'acili- I ties."

The Pakeha, one of the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company's fleet, is exrjected to arrive at Auckland at davligfit on Sunday from London. After discharging I explosives and several thousand tons of general merchandise at this port the Pakeha is due to visit Wellington and ' limaru to put out the balance of her cargo. The Matatna, which also belongs to the Shaw-Savill fleet; recently discharged a cargo of general merchandise at Dunedin and Lyttelton from London. She proceeded from Dunedin to Newcastle, where she arrived on Monday last.

AUCKLAND CAMP.

MEN FROM SUVA ENLIST.

A busy day was spent at the Epsom mobilisation camp yesterday. Seven of the ten men who arrived in Auckland from Suva recently, after having travelled with the advance guard of the expeditionary force to Samoa, have been enrolled as members of the Auckland section of the force. Sergeant Cottingham and H. R. Lister have been attached to the 3rd, Auckland, Mounted Rifles, T. McCarroll and T. V. Roberts have joined the 11th, North Auckland, Mounted Rifles, and C. A. Warden, G. A. Wishart and N. H. Caldwell have become associated with the infantry machine-gun section. The other three menrbers of the party, D. Clutterbuck, L. G. H. Major, and H. Bailey, will have to return to Suva, as they hold Government positions. The returned New Zealanders, who have been quartered at the camp, were discharged from service last night. Colonel C. T. Major, D.5.0., officer commanding the Auckland military district, has given permission for boxes for the receipt of voluntary contributions to the Huntly relief fund to be placed in various parts of the camp. INSPECTION BY MINISTER.

HON. J. ALLEN'S VISIT.

[by telegraph—special correspondent.]

Wellington, Thursday,

The Minister for Defence, Hon. James Allen, will leave on a short visit to Auckland by to-morrow's mid-day express for the purpose of inspecting the Auckland detachment of the expeditionary force. The inspection will be made on Saturday morning.

MILITARY ENTHUSIASM.

ENROLMENTS AT DARGAVILLE.

Military enthusiasm continues in the Northern Wairoa district. The Dargaville Defence Rifle Club has now 80 member? and there are daily applications for enrolment. Weekly drill is being done under the instruction of Staff-Sergeant-Major Stokes. J The district branch of the Legion of Frontiersmen now comprises 75 members. On Wednesday morning the first mounted parade of the squadron was held under Captain J. A. Hemphill, and the sections were put through a course of drill bv Sergeant-Major Coutts. Two sections have been formed, and weekly drills, with a, monthly general muster of the squadron, , have been arranged. In the A section Lieutenant Geisen is second in command, and is assisted bv Sergeant F. Hemphill' and Corporal J. V. Stanaway, whilst B section is controlled by Lieutenant Williams, who has associated with him Sergeant J. Allen and Corporal J. English.