CANNED HERRINGS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 49, 13 November 1946, Page 2

CANNED HERRINGS

A p , pr*IT'>TT'MT7p i T''r AT* ]*, A,OK OF NEW ZEALAND ORDERS

WELLINGTON. A statement that New Zealand has failed to make application for an allocation from Britain's new season canned herrings and will consequently receive no supplies is contained in a letter received by a Wellington firm of importers from a well known canning company in Great Britain. The canners say it is up to the New Zealand Government to make the first move, and express their disappointment at the position. “We were very surprised indeed to hear from the Combined Food Board, who have arranged with the canners the allocation of canned herrings from the new season’s pack for export that New Zealand is not shown in the allocation, says the letter. “On inquiring into the matter we find that there are one or two markets which have not applied for allocations and have been omitted from the allocations at their own request. New Zealand is one of these markets. Therefore, unless New Zealand applies for United Kingdom fish there will be no allocation and we shall not be able to ship a single tin of canned herrings to your market.

“These are the blunt facts, and we are very disappointed to hear about it, but we are unable to do anything about it as it is up to your Government to make the first move. On receipt of this letter you might be influenced to make some approach in this direction.” The writer explained that all canned herrings for shipment are allocated according to pre-war data, 1937-38, and that the Colonies and Dominions were asked if they were prepared-to accept United Kingdom fish, and that New Zealand was one of the markets apparently omitted from the allocations at its own request. Australia ' was included, though her allocation had been heavily cut.

Figures showed that in 1938 New Zealand bought about £lllO worth of canned herrings, and in 1937, £1684 worth, and would therefore be eligible for shipments, though not in large quantity. . A further letter from the same source said that the British shippers were considering a combined protest, and suggested that their agents in New .Zealand might get together in some form of action.