INSULATED FREIGHT SPACE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2437, 16 April 1915, Page 6

INSULATED FREIGHT SPACE

CANTERBURY PROTEST THE NORTH VERSUS THE SOUTH , (By' Telegraph,—FretaAssoclatloiLi Christchuroh, April 15. Prom a statement made by Mr. "William Murray, general manager of the Christchurch Meat Company, to a Press representative to-night, the position in the. South Island regarding tie allocation of insulated freight space has reached' a highly critical point, and a state of affairs is threatened that call 6 for immediate action in order to prevent disaster. In opening, Mr. Murray referred to the published statement of a North Islander to the effect that in the-matter of the allocation of insulated freight space the South Island, had re-

ceived preference over the North Island. "So'far from that being the case," continued Mr. Murray, "the greatest disy satisfaction has existed throughout the whole of the season in connection with - the allocation of space to the South Island, and the gravity of the position which has now developed in the South • -Island, is such that I think it is only rjght. that some definite information as to. the real state of affairs should be placed-before the public. "I have had prepared to-day a statement showing the exact quantities of mutton, lamb, and beef .shipped from the North Island and from, the South Island, "as shown •'!■.■ fry clearances reported, from the month of November to date. .. The statement is as follows:— • NORTH ISLAND. Mutton Lamb Beef carc'es. carc'es. q't'rs. November... 103,636 19,605 31,315 'December ... 182,697 150,306 41,187 January ... 142,945 234,796 44,009 [February ... 360,993 356,857 66,284 March ....... 36,463 . 35,584 15,149 'April to date 113,280 71,965 24,246 ; . Total N.l.' 940,011 919,203., 222,190 SOUTH ISLAND. November... 32,710 7,882 16,987 iDecember ... 10,519 :— 4,369 'January ... 3,988 13,109 3,957 February-... 66,428 197,578 ' 11,168 March ...... 42,918 167,319 14,564 iApril to date 40,589 100,840 8,718 ; Total S.I. 197,152' 486,728 59,763 SUMMARY. N. Island ... 940,014 , 919,203 222,190 S. Island ... 197,152 486,728 59,763 (Excess N.I. over S.I. 742,862 432,475 162,427 ' The summary of North and South 'Island clearances of mutton, lamb, and - beef ehown as the equivalent to carcasses of sheep:— V November, 1914, to April, 1915, (to date): North Island,, grand , total, 2,119,386: South Island, 700,927; excess North: Island, 1,418,359 sheep. ' "An examination of these figures," Mr. Murray continued, "shows that ; during the period covered by them, the ■ North Island has actually shipped in eaoh instance in excess of- the shipments- from the. South- Island nearly ; 750,000 more carcasses of mutton, 432,000 more carcasses of lamb, and 162,000 odd-more quarters of beef. Assuming for.purposes-.of general'comparison that : three lambs are equal to-two sheep, and tliat each quarter of beef .is equal to three, arrive-at the following results: : —The,total clearances of frozen ...meat from the North Island' in the

: period from November 1, 1914, to latest vessel reported this month, have : been equivalent to 2,119,386 carcasses \ of mutton, whilst all that the South Island has been able to get away (calculating oil the same basis) has. been! 700,927 carcasses of mutton. The dif- ■ fcrence between these totals shows, therefore, that up to the present, as shown in'-the summary,. the North -Island lias been relieved to • what is ' equivalent to 1,418,359 carcasses of mutton more than the South Island. On the other hand, it may be claimed, of course, that during the months of November and December, the North Island clearances would have established a lead from the simple facts that the season in tho North Island is earlier, and during the months mentioned the season had not' yet _ commenced in tho. South Island. This is, of course, correct, but examination of .the detailed figures in tho table ; given above will show that during the period from . January to the present time, the.clearances still show an enormous balance in_ favour' of the North Island. In spite of the relief which has been'con(tuiuously afforded, the North Island during the whole, of the period dealt with,, and despite the facrthait Marlborough, Canterbury, and Otago, in particular, are _ faced with, the -worst drought conditions experienced for many : years,. the allocation or insulated freight' 6pace to the South Island still con- ' tinues in the same inequitable ratio, and this state of affairs exists, despite the continued and repeated protests made on the part of those directly. concerned. According to a Wellington telegram, this morning the insulated freight space available for the whole cf the Dominion for the month of May is stated to m ,f 477,000 freight carcasses, although I cannot give the exact figTires relating to tho allocation of space for the whole of the South Island, they Bre as far as Marlborough, Canterbury, and Otago are concerned, in the neighbourhood of 130.000 freight, carcasses. idea's of the inadequacy of this allo- ■ cation are indicated , in tho ..following copy of a letter I have addressed to the chairman of the Freight Committee in (Wellington:—"We have to acknowledge receipt of your favour under date 13th flnsti, advising us of the allocation by your committee of space for 82,000 freight carcasses for May loading in five steamers named in your letter., AV e are much disappointed at the committee's evident failure to realise the urgency of the position into which the South Island has been forced by the .failure on. the part of those controlling the allocation of .freight to recognise • thp special claims which the South Island has at this period of tho year, and .mirier the special circumstance's now existing on the available shipping space. Our arguments in this matter, have been put forward to various quarters almost ad nauseaum, and as it-seems that no good _ purpose can bo served by recapitulating at this juncture, we beg to record once more our most emohatio protest against the treatment which we . are continuing to receive, and which in our opinion is neither reasonable nor just. We have now to tide over a period of five weeks with an alloca-tion-of practically. 16,000 carcasses for each of our five works. An allotment which is almost ludicrous were the consequences not so grave to ourselves and to the country in general." : MEAT CO.'S CIRCULAR. Chrlstohuroh', April 15. ' The following oiroular, which has tieen issued by the Christchurcli MeatCompany, indicates the difficulties that liavo arisen:—"We have to advise that otir allocation of space from the committee controlling insulated freight, is just to hand. The allocation which we have received of only 82,000 freight carcasses to the end of May to serve • our five factories in Marlborough, Canterbury, and Otago opens up such disastrous prospects for all interested in stock that we think it right that you] should, at the, earliest possible_ moment, be acquainted with' the position. !AII our various works are now practicrllv full and the relief afforded will only permit of a- total of from 100,000 to 120..0Q& cwcasiae^At-,, feeiftk

' slaughtered at our five works, or an average of, say, 20,000 to 25,000 at each factory between now and the end of May. In view of the present deplorable state of feed throughout the South Isjand we estimate that in order to afford adequate relief to growers a sufficient shipment should bo provided to enable us to slaughter at least 450,000 head in.the month of May. It is evident, therefore, that unless those who are in. control can be convinced of the crisis with which -we in the South Island are threatened the industry will be brought to almost a complete standstill for the next seven weeks."