THE NEED OF SHIPS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2265, 26 September 1914, Page 8

THE NEED OF SHIPS.

FOR FROZEN PRODUCE EXTRA SPACE WANTED , Thoso concerned in tlio shipping of New Zealand produce,aro by no means easy as regards tiio transport question, but aro hoping that tlio investigations mado by tlio Government will lc-sult in the situation being relieved. Speaking to a reporter yesterday, tlio position as rcgardfcs certain lines of produce was explained by a prominent shipper. As tar as dairy produce and trqzen meat, are concerned, he said, the shipping problem at present is one of considerable seriousness to New Zealand. There was no doubt that the necessity which arose for the Government to. requisition'so many insulated steamers for transport of troops is jioing to seriously dislocate- our business if we do not get eomo additional steamers to till their places shortly. Just to give an illustration as to how necessary it is that we should have some additional steamers for the carriage of exports from the Dominion, it was pointed out that it is estimated that there will be 45,000 crates'of cheese available for shipment in October, and so far as can be judged at tlio present moment, the Corintliie, sailing on November 8, will probably take about 12,000 crates, and the Ruahine, a fortnight later, will take a consignment of 19,000 crates, lhat will make a total of 31,000 crates, leaving a balance unprovided for of. 14,000 crates. ■ Then the Dominion's requiremeuts in No v ember will bo about 75,000 crates, and .with tho unsliipped 14,000 crates, will make a- total of 89,000 crates. At present there does not seem to bo a sulh'cient number of steamers in viow to relieve the farmers of that quantity. . . ' Difficult to Ship Cheese. It is expected that the greatest difficulty will be experienced in shipping the cheese, which is kept at a different temperature, ami in special rooms on tiie steamers. With frozen meat and butter thoro is a good deal of give and take in tho shipping. To further emphasise the need for space for cheese, it was stated that there will be an increase of 15 per cent, in this year's production, as compared with last year. From tho end of October till the end. of the year, frozen meat is not shipped in any great quantity, hut thero is a certain amount available, which, in the ordinary course of events, would have been taken Home by some of the ships requisitioned for transports. This would have left the coast clear forHhe busy dairy produce season. Now the difficulty seems to be that tho bulk of tho dairy produce will not have been got away before the frozen meat begins to come forward. The end of January usually sees the bulk of dairy produce away. / ' ' ■'' ' ' Government Relief. Information as to the available epace this season has been supplied by the shipping companies to tho Government, but a report on the matter is not yet available. Shippers have been given to understand, states one merchant, that the Government is paying every attention to this matter, and recognises the gravity of it. To help the matter, and provide an additional ship to those sailing in October and November, the Government will requisition, states, the merchant, the Shaw, Saviil boat Pakeha, which was under' charter to Australia, prior to the outbreak of hostilities. Had events gono on in. their normal manner, there would have been plenty of available space without this steamer. It has also been suggested to the Government that tho present transports should be hurried back to New Zoalaud without waiting for cargo at Home, and that for the next transports tramp etoamors and others not insulated should bo eecured in preference to the insulated boats. . .' • .