THE BUDGET.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13859, 30 August 1915, Page 2

THE BUDGET.

INSULATED TONNAGE.

IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT FROZEN V . MEAT SUPPLY.

The shortage of insulated tonnage for the conveyance of frozen meat and dairy produce to the- London market has'been a matter of grave concern to the Government during the year. It arose largely through the withdrawal of a number of steamers regularly employed in the New Zealand trade for the' transportation of the Expeditionary Forces, and the position was aggravated by ether vessels engaged regularly in the trade being taken in Great Britain and Australia for military purposes, and being diverted to other routes. Moreover, the drought which was experienced in parts of the North Island early in the season, and later on in the South Island, rendered _it necessary, if values were to be maintained, that farmers should immediately send their stock to tho freezing works. Further, delays in the discharge of vessels, due' to the serious congestion of shipping at the London docks, the loss of the steamers Kaipara and Tokomaru, and the inability of shipbuilding contractors in England to complete a number of vessels ordered, for the New Zealand trade and due for 'delivery early in the current year, have all tended to accentuate the difficulties.

The Government has been in the closest touch with the representatives in New Zealand of .the various shipping interests, and has been in negotiation with the Secretary of State for the Colonies through His Excellency the Governor with a view to mitigating the trouble. It also has been in communication by cable with the High Commissioner, and. has1 made, representations to the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia with the object of -securing tonange for Australia.

'A's a result of these efforts the Government was able to arrange for the return of three steamers from Egypt, the despatch of two steamers in ballast from Great Britain, and the diversion of .two steamers from Australia. The expense incurred in connection wfth the return of the two steamers from Great Britain-is being borne by the Imperial Government.

In February last the Imperial Government requisitioned the whole of the beef, mutton, and lamb available for export from the Dominion. A scheme for giving effect to the requisition was submitted to a conference of representatives'of freezing companies, the Board of Agriculture, producers, and other interested parties, and approved by them. It was accepted by (the Imperial Government and brought into operation at the beginning of March, a special branch of the Public Service, known as the Imperial Government Meat-supply Branch, being established for the purpose of handling the business.

The meat then in store amounted to 1,383,627 COlb carcases. The initial shipment went forward by the s.s. Ruahine on March 12th. The total shipments on behalf of tho Imperial Government up to July 31st were 151,367 quarters beef, 1,296,995 carcases mutton, and 1,747,596 carcases lamb. The total payments,to freezing companies and producers up to that time amounted to £3,022,344. The purchases under the scheme are made by the New Zealand Government oji behalf of the Imperial Government, and the funds are requisitioned from London jus required.

Early in Marcli the Imperial Government entered into an agreement with the various shipping interests with the view of requisitioning the insulated space of all steamers in the Australian and New Zealand trade. This provided for the' esta-blishmeut in London, Australia and New Zealand of committees of representatives of the overseas shipping companies to control tho tonnagesupply.

The Imperial Meat-supply Branch, in addition to attending to all matters connected with the purchase of meat on behalf of His Majesty's Government, has from time to time supplied the Overseas Shipowners' Committee with valuable statistical information, which has much facilitated the allotment of space.

During the period October Ist, 1914, to March 31st, 1915, forty insulated steamers left the Dominion, carrying the equivalent of 2 ; 669,281 freight carcases, as against 2,404,189 freight carcases curing the corresponding period of the previous season.