OTHER CORRESPONDENCE.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2385, 15 February 1915, Page 3

OTHER CORRESPONDENCE.

LETTERS TO SHIPPING COMPANIES. The New Zealand Shppmg Co., Ltd.,

Christchurch, February 2, 1915. The Right Hon. W. F. Massey, Wellington. Sir,—l have the honour to receive your telegram of even date. stating that adverse comment was being made by producers on the action of our company in loading steamers in Australia to the disadvantage of produoers here, and asking for full information on the subject. You will remember that I referred to this m my telegram to you of 25th ultimo. Instead of telegraphing yon again I thought it. better to write in order to go,into the matter more thoroughly with you. As you are aware, ever since the war began exports from United Kingdom to New Zealand have fallen off considerably. We had a large number of steamers on hand at that time, and were compelled to send several loaded out to Australia. These consisted of the Paparoa, Rimutaka, Hurunui, Waimate, and Otaki, which boats arrived in Australia in October and November last.. The Opawa, which brought cargo out to New Zealand and Fiji, went on to Kockhampton and arrived there on November 5. It would have boon useless sending these steamers over to load in New Zealand in November and early December, because at that time there was quito sufficient insulated tonnage to carry all the cargo offoring, besides which you must remember that arrangements for loading have to bo made a long time bofore the vessels' arrival, that is to say, with regard, to those boats wo had to settle in our minds some time in September where they should load. At that time and for long afterwards nobody had any idea that the frozen exports from New Zealand between October and February would bo equal in space to a million 6heep moro than were carried last season during that time. It is easy to be wise after the event, but we in the shipping trade have to base our calculations in the normal and not the abnormal. Wo were very pleased to have a prospect of loading these boats from Australia, and under the samo circumstances should act in the same manner. By the time the Waimate and Otaki were on their way out we saw that there would be more frozen produco from here than was expected, and consequently arranged that aftor their discharge they should come oyer here. The Waimate arrived in : Wellington empty on fhe 22nd ultimo, and the Otaki will arrive this evening. Had it not been for tailiw nbla to lond them out to Atirtra--1» these boats .would aot lumlaan ahla >

to roach the Dominion when they. did. There are people hero who think that it is our duty to have two or three empty steumors tied up at the wharf at this time of ypar to bo utilised in tho event of there being any extra demand for space, but you will quite understood th.it the expense of this would be so groat that wo should 110 longer be able to carry frozen meat and dairy produce at tho rates which wo now charge, which rates are the lowest ruling in any part of tho world.—X have the honour to be. Sir, your obedient servant, (Sgd.) A. W. Bennett, General Manager. '

6th February, 1915. Gonoral Manager N.Z. Shipping Co., Ltd., Christ church. Sir,—l have your letter of tho 2nd inutant in reply to my telegram of the same date, in which I referred bo the constant and persistent statements which were reaching me in rospect to your company diverting a number of insulated steamers from tho trade of tho Dominion to Austfalia. Since then further representations have been made of a like character.

In reference to the reasons which yon furnished in your letter of the 2nd instant regarding the action of your company in trans/erring certain steamers of your company's line from the New Zealand to tne Australian trade during the months of October and November; I cannot do otherwise than express my surprise and regret at what has taken_ place. I cannot overlook the fact that it was within the knowldge of your company that a number of vessels had teen commandeered by the Admiralty for the purpose of conveying 1 the Expeditionary Forces to Europe, and that a shortage of tonnage would assuredly follow, and yet in the face of this, several vessels of• your lino were withdrawn from the employ of the Dominion without any reference to the producers, and the country through the Government, in order to make good tho shortage which has occurred, has not only been greatly inconvenienced, but has in addition been put to great expense in making special arrangements for moeting the deficiency in insulated space. I do not proposo to traverse the reasons which you have advanced for diverting the several steamers you name to trade beyond the Dominion, except to say. that even if the exports from the United Kingdom had fallen off, as alleged, as the outcome of the' war, and it became necessary for the sake of revenue to place them on another berth temporarily, I consider in view of the fact that your company bears the name of this country and has for years depended upon the efforts of the producers of New Zealand for providing dividends for the company's shareholders, that it has been lacking in consideration for the producers and the interests of this country by Dot making those boats available for the trade of New .Zealand which had been loaded with outward careo lor A ustralia.—Yours faithfully, (Sgd.) W. F. Massey.