SHIPS CRUX OF PROBLEM

Chronicle (Levin), 28 August 1947, Page 4

SHIPS CRUX OF PROBLEM

• V Pregs Association)

LargU Stocks Of Food For Britain Iii Stores

* (Per i

WELLINGTON, Aug. 28. The quicker turn-round of ships, on which congestion in the harbour sheds had a very large bearing, was described as the present crux of New . . Zealand's difficulties in helping Britain when informal discussion followed the official inauguration of the permanent helping "Britain committee by the Acting-Prerhier, Mr. Nash, todav. Mr. D. A. Robertson, the ^lippi lg companies' representative on une committee, said that at the present rate of turn-round it would take Jill the end of the year to clear from the stores all the butter, cheese and meat which was immediately available fdr Britain. At the end of July there were in store 5600 tons of butter, 3650 tons of cheese and 119,500 -tons of meat, a total of 128,750 tons of food ready for Britain. Mr. Nash said he had never encountered a more helpful spirit than that evident at the conference held last week to formulate a plan for helping Britain. "If we' can carry that Same spirit into the months to come we will be able to render more help to Britain in proportion to our size than^any other part of the world." Mr. Nash added that Cabinet expected to be called upon to arrange with the committee the best possible way to get the job done. The Government would bear any ex- ; pendiiure, although industry would be encouraged to help in such directions as publicity. The next two years would be hard for Britain, which was. economically in. a worse position than ever before. New Zealand needed as much from Britain as she could supply to keep our own economy on an even keel, and to send back to Britain enough to enable her to live. Mr. Nash said there was no question of freezing the exchange. Our overseas funds were there for purchasing goods and we would not trespass on those funds in a way that would embarrass the United Kingdom. Answering a question, Mr. Nash said that Cabinet was considering today the problem of the turnround of ships. Mr. G. Kilpatrick, of the Freezing Workers' Union, said it would do no good if things were going to be jammed up on the waterfront. He commended the spirit of the Auckland watersiders, who had made some concession in their hours of work in handling badly-needed basic slag.