EXPORT OF GRAIN.

Otago Witness, Issue 3035, 15 May 1912, Page 21

EXPORT OF GRAIN.

QUESTION OF.SHIPPING FACILITIES. , (I'"rom Oui: Own Correspondent.) CHRISTOHUIICH, May 9. The action taken by the Hon. T. Buxton in trving to get the Prime Minister to move" for the purpose of remedying the present shortage of grain freights has caused comment among agents and exporters. Mr Buxton 89ked tne Prime Minister whether he could not induce shipping facilities to be given from outside traders, .as it was of vital importance to the producers to be able to reach the markets that required their produce. Mr Mackenzie had replied that he would first see what the 'oca! shipping firms were able to do in the ne,vt future This interchange produced astonishment in local ship.Ving circles, and the managers of. various shipping firms who were interviewed to-day asserted that under the circumstances they had done all they could to assist the shippers. In brief, their argunent was as follows:—The rate of freight on grain to London was 25s per ton at present. To charter a special vessel to carry grain to London would necessitate a charge of 32s 6d per ton for freight. If the exporters were prepared to i*ay that rate of freight there would be little or no difficulty in getting a ship or ships, but if they were not prepared to pay that freight then they could not expect the shipping companies co bear the loss that would be entailed in bringing special vessels to New Zealand ports. Several prominent grain merchants were seen by a representative of th-3 Press. The most remarkable point about the interviews was the monumental calmness exhibited by the merchants over the whole matter. All agreed that there had been a shortage of grain freights, more so this year than for some time past, but it was also generally admitted that the shipping companies had done the best they could under the circumstances. *' The argument brought forward by the shipping companies regarding the price of freight in a specially chartered vessel," taid one exporter, " seems to me just about, unanswerable. We ; could not expect them to bear any los* ovejr the transaction, and it is equally impossible for us to pay 32s 6d per ton freight on any grain we have to send Home, because at that rate we should lose our profits. " There is undoubtedly a great congestion," remarked another agent." and the situation is rendered more acute by the lack of facilities offered by the railways. At the start of the season the railway authorities would not let farmers have trucks unless the grain was to be consigned straight to a waiting steamer, so that all the stuff was put aboard an\d shipped out of the country. This resulted in keeping the stores fairly free, but latterly trucks have been rushed out to anyone who wanted them, with the result that the stores have got blocked. Mo3t of the facilities for handling got dislocated as the stores were full, trucks could not be unloaded nor sent back for more grain, and in- many cases the grain in the trucks was not the particular kind required for an immediate shipment. Everyone did the best he could, but the confusion and general mix-up was great. Personally, I cannot suggest a remedy at present." Another exporter hazarded the opinion that possibly it was not quite so easy to get freights for Australia from Timaru as it was from Lyttelton, and, as Mr Buxton •was a grain _ merchant and would use Timaru as his port, it might account to some extent for his energetio action in the matter. The sum of all the interview seems to show that the shortage, which ia undoubtedly more acute than usual, must be put down to the season more than to any delinguenoies of the companies controlling freight bottoms. The grain camo in with more of a rush than usual owing io the fact that stook threshing was not so general and tiie lack of railway facilities added to the

pressure. Grain is not suoh a paying cargo to carry as wool, meat, and dairy produce. The shipping companies rely more on these to pay expenses and as profits than on grain, and naturally give them preference in most cases. It is probable that there will be ample space for June and Julv nhtyments, possibly more than will be required.