THE NEW SHIPPING SERVICE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2603, 3 February 1904, Page 11

THE NEW SHIPPING SERVICE.

TJndbk agreement frith the New Zealand Government, certain of the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company's steamers will call at Liverpool and Glasgow, thus bringing large industrial centres in the provinces into direct communication with this colony, and extending the market for colonial produce. The new service will be initiated by the s.s. Kuinara, which •will call at both these ports in March, and the s.s. Delphic will follow in June. The growing demand for New Zealand frozen meat and dairy produce amply justifies the action of tue Government, and it is exceedingly gratifying that a British shipping, firm has secured the contract, and not a German firm, as might have been the case, seeing the circular inviting tenders was addressed to German as well as English firms. The Agent-general now explains that the circular issued on December 30 was sent to Lloyd's and to the Baltic Mercantile Snipping Exchange, and that it was not intended to be private, thus exonerating Mr ,Seddon of any surreptitious attempt to secure a cheap German contract privately. Apart from the method employed to secure the service, exporters will .welcome the extension of raiirkets that is likely to follow the direct shipment of colonial produce to the western counties cf Groat Britain. Hitherto London has been the chief distributing centre for our frozen meat and dairy produce, although an increasing trade has been springing up in the great industrial centres, which can be secured most conveniently from Liverpool and Glasgow. For some considerable time now the Argentine has sent large quantities of frozen meat to Liverpool. During 1902 the exports of frozen mutton and lamb from the Argentine to London were only 411,913 carcases, while no less a number than 2,081,128 carcases were sent to Liverpool and 338,455 carcases to other parts of the United Kingdom.

During .the same period New Zealand sent 3°658,061 carcases to London alone, there being no shipping facilities for despatching produce direct to Liverpool. Since the inauguration of its frozen meat export trade the Argentine has exported no less than 21,740,000 carcases of mutton and lamb to Liverpool, while the total export to Lcndon was tinder four million carcases. It will thus be seen

how important a market for frozen meat there is at Liverpool ; and although the Argentine has had a monopoly, as far as direct shipment is concerned, for ~a good number of years, still New Zealand mutton has been growing in favour in the provinces — Manchester, for example, doing a considerable retail trade. No doubt when direct shipments are placed on the provincial markets New Zealand moat will secure an assured position and soon find favour with the working classes, who are the largest consumers. As regards' dairy produce the same conditions apply. Practically the whole of our shipments go to London direct, notwithstanding the fact that there is a considerable redistribution throughout the provinces subsequently. Undoubtedly direct shipment to Liverpool and Glasgow will prove advantageous to New Zealand producers. The ability to land such perishable products as butter and cheese direct from the refrigerating hold or the steamer into the cold stores will prove a distinct advantage over the system in vogue of distributing by rail from London. Altogether the new service opens up the prospect of an extension of both the frozen meat and dairy produce trades that ought to prove mutually beneficial to producer and consumer. We hopo to see the new service largely availed of at the outset, believing as we do that it merits the greatest possible measure of encouragement.