NEXT SEASON'S BUTTER EXPORT FROM NEW SOUTH WALES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2106, 5 July 1894, Page 12

NEXT SEASON'S BUTTER EXPORT FROM NEW SOUTH WALES.

(Sydney Morning Herald, June 14 ) THE SHIPPING CONTRACT.

Yesterday afternoon the deputation appointed by the D.iiry Export Association to wait upon the managers of the Peninsular and Oriental and Orient Steamship Companies completed its task without, however, arriving at any successful result. Among those present were Mepsrs Pateson (manager of the Fresh Food and Ice Company, who acted as spokesman for the shippers), M. S. Foley, B. Denham, J. Foley, Vance, Booth, Ed. I. Aiken (secretary of the association and manager of the Berrima Distiict Company), Wm. H. Archer, T. Mitch' 11, and others.

The whole ot the clauses of the original contrac 1 ; and the contract; as amended by the association were dealt with. While yielding on several points of minor importance, the representatives of the mail companies could not see their way clear to agree with the suggestion of the assooivi'-.n that the term of the contract should not; exceed one year. Of still more importance in the eyes of the members of the association, however, was ths clause which bound the mail companies to rtfusa to allow any shipper to forward his butter to London through their service who had not signed the contract on or before the 15th July. This was considered by the members of the association to be a point on which they must insist, for otherwise any shipper might, after perhaps six months had expired, or any other time that was convenient to himself, begin to ship in the mail companies' boats and thus diminish the spaoe which should be at the disposal of those signing the contract. The managers of the mail companies, however, did not see the matter in the same light as the shippers, so the matter is at a deadlock. The alteration in the tv< ight of the boxes from 12£lb to an average of 13lb was also objected to, as also was the increase iv the estimated surplus from 2500, as suggested by the shipping compauies, so 4000 for the first jear and 6000 for tLe -i eoiul jear, as amended by the association. To-morrow lurlhtr consideration will be given &a tjt question, ivhtu it is hoped some satisfactory arrangement will be arrived at.

Ttie clauses of the contract, as proposed to be amended by the association, read as follow : —

1. Toe exporters undertake to ship through the mail companies all butter and cheese, and (or) other dairy produce they may brand, chill, freeze, ship, or otherwise have or can secure any control over, or are interested in directly or indirectly for delivery at London or at any of the ports of call of the mail companies' vessels, intercolonial ports excepted.

2. The quantity of butter is not guaranteed ; but it is estimated at 40Q0 tons weight for the first year, and 6000 tons for the second. 3. The season is estimated to begin on the

companies shall be allotbed for the shipment of butter from New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania proportionately to the estimated shipments from each colony, the estimate of the colony of Victoria being 8000 to 10,000 tons, or a mean of nine, and the estimate of the colony of New South Wales being 4000 tons for the first year and 6000 tons for the second year.

11. Butter to be tendered for shipment at a temperature not exceeding 42deg, and cheese at a temperature at from 50deg to 60deg. 12. This agreement, being entered into by the shippers of butter for the purpose of advancing the butter industry of the colony of New South Wales, shall be confined to such shippers only as elect to avail themselves of the benefit thereof, and signify the same in writing to the mail companies on or before the 15th July 1894, presuming that such shippers oan fill the available space. 13. Tbe mail companies shall be at liberty to refuse to accept tor shipment any butter reasonably supposed by them to belong to or to be shipped in the interests of oreameries, companies, factories, firms, or individuals who have not adhered to the t rms of this agreement ; and such refusal shall not be treated as a breach of this Agreement unless the shippers, on being thereunto required, shall lodge a satisfactory declaration that they have made no shipment other than through and under the terms of this agreement during the currency thereof, and have not been and are not interested directly or indirectly in any such other shipment. 14. The true intent of the parties to this agreement is with a view of advancing the dairy industry andi providing for the regular exportation of dairy produce. The ' mail companies shall incur the expense of providing the necessaiy insulated space and keeping the same available for any such produce, whilst on the other hand the exporters shall ship all such produceoocrv c r which they have any control, or in which they are directly or indirectly interefeted, by the steamers to be provided by the mail companies to London or any other ports of call, as expressed in clause 1. 15. A memorandum approximately correct of the minimum space available for New South Wales shipments in the mail steamers, and of the approximate dates of sailing from Sydney, will be forwarded in the month of August to those signing this agreement. 16. This agreement to be further subject to all the conditions of the bills of lading of the mail companies, of which copies are attached. 17. This agreement to remain in force from the 155h day of July 1894 to the 15bh day of July 1895, shippers to have option of extending same until the 15bh day of July 1896 upon giving one mouth's notice to the mail companies.