SERIOUS SHORTAGE OF TALLOW.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLII, Issue 11443, 24 January 1918, Page 4

SERIOUS SHORTAGE OF TALLOW.

Up— SHIPPING RESTRICTIONS TO BE RELAXED, Per Press Association. Wellington, Jan. 23. For some mouths the Government has been in constant telegraphic communication with the Imperial I Government, pointing out the urgent necessity existing for providing 'tonnage for the shipment of tdlo.v. On December.2Bth the Secret sry of State for the Colonies cabled to the effect that, owing to the serious shortage of tdlow" which the United Kingdom was then fared, the Government wonl.l have wished to arrange for the shipment to the United Kingdom of all available supplies from New Zealand, hut, owing to the scarcity oftonnage, it was impossible to obtain freight for all the Australasian tallow required and the question was therefore being considered of installing a paint for splitting tallow in this Dominion. It was pointed out. however, that some mouths would probably elapse before this plant could be available, but in the meantime there would be no objection to the shipment of reasonable quantities of tallow to the United States, provided the stocks are not unduly exhausted, that no fats are diverted fiom the United Kingdom which could bo shipped' there, that no freight would be diverted from United Kingdom, and that no general permission should be given to ship to foreign coountries; each case to be considered separately, and shippers to understand that the arrangements were striclty provisional. Hie High Commissioner w; s again communic .tel with on January 32nd to the effect that the whole of List season’s output had not been shipped,resulting in a loss to the producers. Reference was included to the statements made that the producers in Australia had been able to ship tallow' in large quantities, and this was causing much dissatisfaction to producers in this country. A census of the stocks of tallow reveals that the quantity on hand probably exceeds 40,000 casks. The Minister for Customs is prepared to consider applications to export tallow to other destinations than the United Kingdom on the terms- notified by the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and on the strict understanding that the arrangements are provisional.