SHORTAGE OF SHIPS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2470, 25 May 1915, Page 9

SHORTAGE OF SHIPS

A REMEDY SUGGESTED Sir, —Wo enclose copy of letter forwarded by our London agents, Messrs. Gilbert Anderson and Co., to the President of the Board of Trade, Loudon. As this contains matter of considerable inI tercst to the producers and others in the frozen meat trade of New Zealand, we ! trust you will see your way to publishing the letter. We may mention the Board of Trade favourably acknowledged this letter. Yours faithfully; MELLSOP, ELIOTT AA T D CO. Palmerston North, May 24, 1915. [Enclosure.] Tlio President of the Board of Trade, 7 Whitehall Gardens, S.W. Sir, —As agents for several of the New Zealand Farmers' Freezing Companies, as also for a large number of growers and shippers through other works, and representatives of the largest farmers' freezing company, whoso consignments are sent through various channels, I hog to draw your attention to the sorious position of the meat supplies to this country, and the harm which will bo done to Now Zealand if special arrangements are not speedily made for early deliveries and future supplies. At the present time there are ample supplies in store and on board steamers to meet all requirements, but since it has been announced that the Government have commandeered all supplies, along with the apparent absence of shipments, prices have advanced in some instances by a further 25 per cent. I am advised that there are ample supplies for all our requirements if proper steps are taken to obtain these, but the future of the trade is imperilled, and there is the possibility that our requirements will not be forthcoming when urgently required, unless the present block and stoppage of the freezing works in the colony is removed. It is necessary here that I should state that I was associated in New Zealand with the freezing industry from its inception, and was mainly responsible for the present freight agreement while controlling the largest output, and I claim therefore to write from the standpoint of the grower and freezing company.

This country requires to import annually and by regular shipments 650,000 to 700,000 tons of meat for its ordinary annual demand, but to provide the extra food for our Army we must supplement this by a further 250,000 to 300,000 tons. That these supplies are available has been proved by the arrivals up-to-date, and future supplies can be obtained if proper organisation is arranged to get them.

Owing, however, to various causes, no special effort is being made to dischargo the large number of insulated steamers at tlto Port of London and Liverpool. Many have been in port for over a month, and some for six weeks.

To carry our frozen meat in normal times we require tonnage for 30,000,000 to 32,000,000 freight carcasses. The present insulated tonnage is for 16,131,200 freight carcasses, which with ordinary sailings provides freight carcasses for 45,000,000, or something like an excess of 40 to 50 per cent., sufficient for our extra requirements at normal or slow sailings, and allowing for only two trips per annum to Now Zealand and Australia. More than this is possible by accelerating discharge and loading, which would give a carrying capacity of possibly 50,000,000 freight carcasses. There is ample tonnage not only foj freight purposes, but sufficient for the requirements of the Admiralty.

I now come to the most serious aspect, and claim to speak with an intimate nnd personal knowledge _of meat freezing. The freezing works in New Zealand are blocked, and the majority have had to stop killing. The season is at its height, and the works should be at full pressure. Growers have provided feed for the fattening of three-quarters to one million head of sheep nnd lambs per month from March to Jidy, and thesa can only be turned off fat and in freezing condition and weight provided the monthly quantities are sent from the farms. If this is not- done they have to remain and share the feed of the next drafts, resulting in these not getting with the future possibility of a reduction in exports of 50 per cent, at a time when we are urgently requiring extra supplies. I therefore suggest that in order to protect future supplies insulated steamers should be dispatched to those districts where future supplies are waiting to be killed. • That districts such as South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales, where the killing is about complete, the meat should remain in store in the colony until required. By relieving the most urgent cases only, and providing for the stock being killed as and when fit, ample supplies of meat will be forthcoming. Otherwise the stock in the colonies will lose condition and will become unfit for export. Serious loss will be entailed on the colonies, and our meat supply will become seriously menaced during the time they are urgently required. I soe no difficulty in providing for the future if the matter is dealt with from a knowledge of tho necessities of the wholo circumstances. Assuring you. of my best endeavours nnd assistance, —I remain, yours most faithfully, (Sgd.) GILBERT ANDERSON. 6 Holborn Viaduct, London, E.C., March 27, 1915.