COMMONWEALTH TONNAGE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10544, 22 March 1920, Page 5

COMMONWEALTH TONNAGE

FOR CARRIAGE OF WHEAT. Australian and N. 71. fuMe AssociationLONDON, March 18.' Commenting on the Shipping Controller’s demand for tonnage for an additional hundred thousand tons of Australian wheat, “The Times’’ mentioned a statement that tho Commonwealth Government does not intend to employ the Commonwealth line of steamers to carry wheat. Mr H. B. Larkin, general manager of the Commonwealth line, has written to “Tho Times” pointing out that out of seventeen voyages during the Inst five months, six Commonwealth steamers carried full cargoes of wheat and flour, and ten others carried part cargoes, totalling over sixty thousand tons. At present most of the Commonwealth tonnage was, at the Imperial 'ovornment’s urgent request, concentrating on tho carriage- of wooL Cargo was allocated to the Commohwenrtn steamers in precisely the same manner ns to all British steamers trading to Australia. “The Times,’’ commenting on Mr Larkin’s letter, says it does hot controvert tho statement that the Commonwealth does not intend to employ its vessels to transport an additional hun. dred thousand tons of wheat in April; May and June-