OVERSEAS MEAT SHIPMENTS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 287, 5 December 1939, Page 6

OVERSEAS MEAT SHIPMENTS

CONTINUATION AT WANGANUI TIMETABLE IMPORTANT IN PERIOD OF WAR Shipment of meat through the port of Wanganui for overseas is to continue as in the past, but will, be .subject to the condition that adherence strictly to a timetable for overseas ships is vital during the war period. Some concern has arisen in Wanganui lately because of a suggestion that the port might no longer continue to serve overseas vessels in the roadstead. Colour was lent to that belief by the omission of Wanganui from the list of f.o.b. ports named in Ihe agreement between the New Zealand and Imperial Governments for the purchase ot the Dominion's output of meat. Convoys Must Not be Delayed It is essential that ships sailing from New Zealand must leave according to a strict timetable. Convoys must be contacted in certain waters where British shipping is liable to enemy interception, and convoys must not be kept waiting. Every facility for quick loading of overseas vessels must be used within New Zealand. The greatest handicap in Wanganui is the weather. All roadstead ports are subject to delays because of weather conditions, and it may be found necessary during the commandeer period to make use of Wellington to load meat from Wanganui. Centralisation of shipping has often been advocated by farmers on the ground of the saving of expense, but the difficulty is that meat works are scattered throughout the Dominion in localities best suited to the farmers themselves. To rail all meat from Wanganui to Wellington might sound . reasonable, but the amount of hand- ’ ling and the delays in transit would equal that involved in sending the same meat out to the roadstead in lighters or barges. Given fine weather , loading can be done just as expediti- , ousiy by lightering at Wanganui. A i ship able to pick up a big cargo at , Wanganui roadstead and keep her - scheduled timetable, which is fixed by . the Admiralty, will not deliberately , refuse to use the roadstead port. f Opposed to Centralisation 1 II is well known that the present t New Zealand Government is opposed ' to centralisation. The view is taken ■ that if centralisation is accepted in its ' full str.ise meat should not only be ■ shipped at Wellington, but also killed t there, meaning that if shipping at. the Wanganui roadstead is done away with, the railing of live stock to works at Wellington might just as reasonably be advocated as the abolition ol lightering at Wanganui. Under the agreement with the Imperial Government the farmer pays the cost of delivery to the works, and it is fortunate for many Wanganui farmers thal there are works as near at hand a.’ Imlay. What Wanganui will have to contend with is the weather anti the de- ' lays likely to occur if the lightering ' service is handicapped. Ships in war.j time must sail promptly and everj ' port in New Zealand, not Wanganu ," alone, will have to conform to strici ' timetables. Ships must not be kepi waiting! Four F. 0.8, Ports. There are four f.o.b. ports in the North Island listed in the agreement 1. with the United Kingdom for the shipr. ment of meat —Auckland, Wellington ■ New Plymouth and Napier. Withir r - the area of which New Plymouth i; >• the centre there are three freezing works operating—Wanganui, Patei >- and Waitara Waitara will send al its meat through New Plymouth ant much of the meat frozen at Patea wil also be shipped at New Plymouth Wanganui, however it is understood will load overseas vessels in the road T stead as usual.