SHIPS & PRODUCE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2519, 14 July 1915, Page 11

SHIPS & PRODUCE

CLEARING THE STORES

SPEECH BY PRIME MINISTER

A short address was delivered to the Council of Agriculture by the Prime Minister (the lliglit Hnn. W. F. Massey) yesterday. Most of tlio matter of the speech had been touched oil by Mr. Massey in previous addresses. In the-course of liis speech. Mr. Massey said that in spite of certain adversities the exports of. the country had been maintained, inaiiily "owing to the war. For the year ending March 31 last the exports from New ' Zealand totalled £27,000,000, ail increase of £4,000,000 for the year. 1 Of/ the exports. 87 per cent; had come from the land 1 . To increase New Zealand's prosperity all should endeavour to increase its productivity. But for the shortage of ships, the exports would probably have been even heavier. In four months, of which July was one, 36 ships would come here. Seven vessels were row loading in the country's ports, tin eo more were in New Zealand waters, and five others would arrive during the month. lie had good reason for believing that the number would! be increased by several ships, probably before the end of the month. The effect of the'increase would he to clear the frozen meat stores, bo' that the next meat season would be started with space all clear. He did not reckon that there : would be much trouble about getting season's produce away, and he remarked .that there had not been much difficulty regarding the export of dairy produce this year. Just now there were' over 2,000,000 carcasses of meat in store, and one of the troubles of the past'season had been that in some districts the storage capacity was .not in proportion to tho production. ' Happily, there was .now a desire throughout the Dominion to increase the storage space, and next season might see additional accommodation for a million carcasses;

Regarding next season's wheat, Mr. Massey said that statistics were, being collected,' and he hoped to have the information ir. the course of a few weeks.