MEAT FOR EXPORT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2402, 6 March 1915, Page 8

MEAT FOR EXPORT

THE SUPPLY OF SHIPS

COMPARISON OF PRICES

Good .news was received by the Prime Minister yesterday about the supply of ships available for refrigerated cargo for March loading. The. effect of it is that two ships, the Kumara and the Pakeha,. which were not expected in New Zealand bo early, will bo here this 'month. It is true that they will not bo here until late in the month, but tho fact that they are coming 6hould give the producers a feeling of security'that the problem of finding freight space for their goods is not being neglected. Some time ago it may be remembered that the Prime Minister communicated with the Federal Prime Minister asking that the Commonwealth Government should not commandeer or interfere with the movements of six steamers belonging to the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company; which were to call at Australian ports before coming, to New Zealand.' The following particulars are now available about these 6hips:— Karamea, due Nelson March 9. Arawa,. due in New Zealand in the middle of April. Kumara, due in .Wellington March 13.

Rangatira, due for loading in New Zealand at the end of April.- ; Pakeha, due in Wellington March 9. ■ Waiwera, leaving Liverpool for Australia at the end of March.

file ships now available for New Zealand loading will be: Matatua, Tainui, Karamea, Kaikoura, Ruahine, . Westmeath, Star of Australia, Kumara, and Pakeha. . . . >

Already it las been stated that the Imperial Government are moving to assist the Dominion Government in Securing ships for the carriage Homo of _ the meat for Army supplies. The Prime Minister lias received the following cablegram through His Excellency the Governor from the Secretary of State for the Colonies'' Shipowners have appointed a committee to cooperate i with His Majesty's Government in securing regular and ■ sufficient supplies of tonnage, and are appointing a committee of their representatives in Australia and New Zealand to 6ettle details."

A comparison of the prices being paid for meat by the- New Zealand Government as compared with the schedule in New South Wales is interesting:— Mutton: Wethers, first quality N.Z. 4}d., N.S.W. 4Jd.; ewes, first quality N.Z. 4d., N.S.W. 3|d. In New Soutii Wales all beef is to be bought at 4Jd. In New Zealand the prices for the different grades are as follow: —Prime ox 4jfd., second quality ox and heifer 4-Jd., cow beef prime cow beef second quality 4d. (By IHoEtaph—Presa association.) Auckland, March 5. Slaughtering operations will be resumed at the works of the Auckland Farmers' Freezing Company on Tuesday. During nest week two whole days and two half-days will be worked. All .the men engaged in the slaughtering operations • were paid off when work was suspended on Thursday.' They will be taken on again on Tuesday morning and paid off again on Friday. Whole days will be worked on Tuesday and Thursday, and half-days on Wednesday and Friday. In the four days about 9000' head of stock will be dealt with, and the space in' the storage relieved by the loading of the Matatua will again be filled. Operations will then have to be suspended until the arrival of the Rotorua, which is due at Auckland on March 15.