SHORTAGE OF SHIPS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2446, 27 April 1915, Page 6

SHORTAGE OF SHIPS

A REQUEST FOR MORE, BY THE PRIME MINISTER. •/' At the request of Canterbury producers who are suffering serious hardship on.account of the drought in that " provincial district, the Prime Minister has again communicated with the Board ' of Trade asking that, if possible, some insulated ships should be sent out here in ballast to relievo the pressure here ( at the earliest possible date. "Judging by ; present appearances;" said Mr. Massey, referring generally to ; the subject in conversation with a re- • porter, "the export of meat will go on right through tho New Zealand winter on aocount of the scarcity of insulated .• tonnage, which scarcity exists in spita' of' the fact that the Board of Trade has increased the freights paid for. frozen ; meat by about 40 per cent, since the new arrangement came into operation. . 'And of this increase not one penny .iB being charged to the New Zealand producer. In . addition to the other causes I have, mentioned for the scarcity of . tonnage, it is within my knowledge that, ,■ two of the companies trading to .New (< Zealand had five 6liips building prior to the outbreak of war, and they have not been able to get these ships completed. It will also be remembered that, two of our traders were_ sunk by the enemy, and another is still undergoing repairs as the'result of a serious fire. All these troubles have contributed to the present difficulty. The only consolation left to our people is that other countries, in . the Empire are having just as serious as ours, and . even more so."

Cable advifie was received in Auckland yesterday that Corporal Maurice Burlinson, of the Canadian. Force, whose home is in Auckland, and who was reported by the Press Association to have been killed, is not dosuL but has been sent to England seriously wounded.

MOTOR LORRIES. AND > PARCEL CAES. 1 For immediate delivery, 1, 2, and & ton "British" Motor Wagons, aba famous "Wall" Parcel Cars. J. E. FITZGERALD, Motor Importer, Wellington.

i Messrs. W, and G. Turnbull and Co., stook sale agents, announce the following sales for this week:—Sheep arid cattl«, at the Waipoua yards, Masterton, on. Wednesday j and - at Martinborough on :