MEAT EXPORT TRADE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2440, 20 April 1915, Page 6

MEAT EXPORT TRADE

THE TWO ISLANDS ADVANTAGE FOR THE NORTH The remarkable way iri which the centre of gravity of the meat export trade in New Zealand has moved iii recent years is shown by a. return now in the hands of the Prime Minister, prepared at his request by Departmental officers. Tho return shows that in last export year, ending June 30, the exports from the North Island were nearly double those from the South Island. Following were the exports from tho various ports:— NORTH ISLAND. Whangarei, 53,200 freight carcasses; Auckland, 171j686j Tokomaru Bay 146,6X8; , Gisborne, 512,305; Napier i 22,520 j AYaitara, 132,449 ; 152,620; Patoa, 33,512; •Wellington' 1,291,493: total, 3,216,393. - ' SOUTH ISLAND. . Nelson, 18.760; Picton, 39.003; Lytteltoii, 672,832: Timaru, 47,639; Oamaru, 84,038; Port Chalmers, 130,516: ■Bluff, 190,440: total, 1,614,228. This makes the grand total for the two Islands 4,830,621 freight carcasses, and shows a greater export for tho North Island of 1,602,163 freight oarcasses.

On March 27 last, the most'recent date for which returns are available, [ there were in the North Island stores 1,071,526_ carcasses, and in South Island stores 676,952 carcasses. During the month of May and the remaining weeks of April it is expected that the stores will be sufficiently cleared to allow work to continue. In May, 477,000 carcasßes will be shipped, and in June 950,000 carcasses. The ships for the latter month will be the Opawa, Kia Ora, Paparoa, Rangatiia, Hawera, Indrabarah, Remuera, Athenic,-Tongariro, and La Blanca. A'few days ago a paragraph appeared in tho Press to the effect tht the Union Company had purchased two steamers with insulated space. , Tho Prime Minister, seeing the possibility of securing new ships for our trade, at' once telegraphed to tho general- mananer of the company to inquire whether these ships could be made available for the carriage of meat- to' Britain. The repl.r was, howevor, that' the ships would not be suitable for the purpose, as th'e quantity of'meat they could ca,rry would be comparatively small, and, furthermore, that they could not leave tbeir present trade'for some time .Tet; .