EXPORT OF TALLOW

Otago Witness, Issue 3333, 30 January 1918, Page 10

EXPORT OF TALLOW

WELLINGTON, January 23. For some months tho Government has been in constant telegraphic communication with the Imperial Government, pointing out the urgent necessity existing for providing tonnage for the shipment of tallow. On December 28 the Secretary of State for the Colonies cabled to the effect that owing to the serious shortage of tallow with which tho United Kingdom was then faced the Government desired to arrange for tho shipment to the United Kingdom of all available supplies from New Zealand, but owing to the scarcity of tonnage it was

impossible to obtain freight for all the Australian tallow required. The question was therefore being considered of installing a plant for splitting the tallow in this dominion. Some months would probably elapse before this plant would be available, and meanwhile there would be no objection to the shipment of reasonable quantities' of tallow to the United States, provided the stocks are not unduly exhausted. No fats are to be diverted from the United Kingdom which could be shipped there, and no freight is to be diverted from the United Kingdom. Further, no general permission is to bo given to ship to foreign countries. Each case is to be considered separately, and shippers are to understand that the arrangements are str'ctly provisional. The High Commissioner was again communicated with on January 22 to the effect that the whole of last season's output had not been shipped, resulting in a loss to the producers. A reference was included to. statements that producers in, Australia had. been able to ship tallow in largo quantities, and this was causing much dissatisfaction to the producers in this country. A census of the stocks of tallow revealed that the quantity on hand probably exceeds 40,000 casks. The Minister of Customs is prepared to consider applications to export tallow to other destinations than the United K'ngdom on the terms notified by the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and on the strict understanding that the arrangements are provisional.