SHIPPING FREIGHTS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 92, 20 April 1939, Page 8

SHIPPING FREIGHTS

NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE REQUESTS FOR INCREASE MR. NASH ADDRESSES DAIRY CONFERENCE [ Per Press Association. ] WELLINGTON, April 19. Addressing the annual New Zealand Dairy Board conference to-day, Hon. W. Nash pointed out that the shipping companies were seeking increased freight rates for the carriage of New Zealand produce homewards, and said that the Government was not prepared to agree, though it was prepared to shoulder the responsibility of organising the waterfront work to bring about lower charges. He did not want the dairy farmers to ask for greater sums out of the consolidated fund this year. Mr. Nash said that the revenue of the country was splendid, and he foreshadowed a budget surplus “as good this year as in previous years.” The Minister said that the average price realised for butter in the United Kingdom last year was 117 s 9d a cwt., and the average to-day was 114 s. The average realised for the season’s butter was 114 s 3d. For the London equivalent of the guaranteed price they had to obtain 124 s a cwt. for butter. The average price for cheese last year was 68s Bd. This season, owing to the large increase in the English output, prices had varied and Canadian cheese was a factor. The best price realised for the season was 725, and the last quotation was 80s a cwt. They had to realise 73s 6d a cwt. to realise the sum they were paying out.

t A delegate: What is the average 0 for cheese this season? Mr. Nash: 68s or something like 0 that. A voice: 65s 9d up to April 13. Equal Treatment , Dealing with the price for the current year, Mr. Nash said he had discussed the question of price on Q several occasions with the chairman ' of the Dairy Board. “I suggested to ’ him and now to you that the best 2 thing for the industry and for the ' Dominion is that the prices this year r for butter and cheese should be so ’ paid for next year,” he said. There was a necessity, he said, for getting ' an element of stability inside the Doj minion. He did not want to argue at 1 the moment whether last year’s price was right or wrong. When he had ’ suggested the price to Mr. Hale (chairman of the Dairy Board), Mr. Hale had said: “What about the others?” He had said that he could not ask ; the dairy industry to accept the same ’ price, but if he should, would the Minister give him an undertaking about the other sections of the com1 munity? The Minister said he replied that he could not give the guarantee asked, but he would go to the conference of the Federation of Labour and urge them to do what he was asking the dairy farmers to do. “I have done that,” said Mr. Nash. “I have been to the conference of the Federation of Labour. I hope the material will be published. I stressed the imperative need of getting a degree of stability for a year or two.” Waterfront Work Another point that arose, said the Minister, was the question of freights. The ship owners were in New Zealand to-day and the Government had been discussing with them the fixing of freight contracts. “They want so much more by way of freight,” he said. “Our answer is ‘No,’ but we will take the responsibility of organising the waterfront work whereby the charges be lower. We will do all we can and we will give you all the pledges that we as a Government can do to say that conditions on the waterfront will be improved, but they want more money and the ship owners want more money.” The Minister said that the case he had made to the ship owners was the case he had made to the Federation of Labour and to Mr. Hale. A delegate: Did you get a good hearing from the Labour Conference? Mr. Nash: Yes.

He went on to say that it was difficult to put that proposition to people he had been helping for years to ask for more. He still believed that the farmer and others were entitled to get more out of the country than they were getting. He had nad to go to the people he had been helping to ask for more for years, and ask them not to ask for more. . , A delegate: Were they satisfied. Mr Nash replied that they had carried a vote of thanks and confidence in the Finance Minister of the country. The Federation of Labour had 180,000 affiliated members and they passed a vote of thanks and confidence and appreciation for his statement, which would be published this week. Taking that into account, he was certain that measuring up the needs of the farmers and justice due to the workers in other sections, that it would be good to endeavour to get an element of stability for the next 12 or 18 months, and it would be better for all if it would be achieved by agreement.