REDUCED IMPORTS

Taranaki Daily News, 29 April 1931, Page 9

REDUCED IMPORTS

POSITION IN DOMINION.

AIANY SHIPS IN BALLAST.

How the merchants of New Zealaud have curtailed their imports is shown by the number of large overseas vessels coming to New Zealand from Britain in ballast to load produce for . Europe. By the end of June more than 100,000 tons of shipping will have come to New Zealand from Britain in ballast, in addition to a further number of vessels which have come from Australia empty and have loaded in the Dominion. The White Star Line steamer Gallic (7912 tons) reached Lyttelton from London in ballast on Sunday, and the Federal Line steamer Devon (9016 tons), also in ballast, arrived at Lyttelton from Glasgow yesterday. They are to be followed by five other vessels which have left Britain in ballast and should reach New Zealand next month or early in June.

The Shaw, Savill and Albion motorships Taranaki (5286 tons) and Zealandic (8281 tons) are due on May 14 and May IS respectively. The Shaw, Savill and Albion steamer Pakelia (10,082 tons) is due early in May, and later in the month the Federal Line steamers Norfolk (10,946 tons) and Northumberland (11,555 tons) should arrive. This is the Norfolk’s second voyage to New Zealand in ballast. She loaded in the Dominion early in the year and discharged her cargo in Britain. Two other Federal Line steamers, the Huntingdon, (10,951 tons) and the Tekoa (8531 tons), also came in ballast to New Zealand early this year and have since returned to England with full cargoes of produce. The depression in the shipping trade is further emphasised by the number of large vessels which reach New Zealand from overseas with very little cargo on board. Before the trade depression vessels were in each port for four or live days discharging. In many cases now they arrive one day and sail the next, the cargo discharged being often less than 1000 ton*