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New Zealand Tablet, 15 April 1915, Page 31

‘ What is the present position in regard to tonnage?’ the Prime Minister was asked by a Wellington reporter last Unfortunately,’ he replied, ‘last month was bad for shipping. This month will lie better. As for May, I am not yet able to speak positively, but I am able to say that there will be an unusually large number of ships here in June. We have 1,750,000 carcases of mutton in cold storage in New Zealand, so that we want all the ships we can get.’

At a conference held on Friday at Christchurch between those interested in the frozen meat export trade and the Prime Minister it was decided that a committee be appointed to fix the price per pound over all in the works. The committee met on Saturday, and agreed that the over-all price to be paid by export buyers to producers of lamb be continued at 6gd to 6|d per pound until April 30 inclusive, and 6 11-16 d and 6 5-16 d thereafter until May 31, such prices to apply to all lambs delivered at freezing works on or before such dates, the arrangement to be subject to revision after the end of May.

c Money continues to flow into the country from the realisation of our season’s produce to a very considerable amount, whilst our.imports are on a lighter scale than for some time past (states the New Zealand Trade Review), ‘consequently the bank’s coffers are well replenished and there is an ample supply of funds available for all ordinary trading purposes. Many farmers and others have big credits now, for which they seek investment; as a liquid form of security is desired in many cases, good sound shares are in demand and values of all good investment stocks are -firming. With the end of February we completed five months ,of the current export season, and the value of our exports for this period reached £12,750,154, as compared with £9,458,158 for the corresponding period of last season, which is an increase of £3,291,996 It must be remembered that we are enjoying a very early season, and the returns from now on may not maintain last year’s level still, a record total for the season is confidently anticipated. The outlook, therefore, is decidedly satisfactory, and the supply of funds for all general purposes should be ample for some time.