THE SHIPPING SHORTAGE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3089, 21 May 1917, Page 8

THE SHIPPING SHORTAGE

POSITION. DE THE I'KODUCEES"

"There can! bo bo doubt.Unit the outlook is eorious," says the- "banners' (Union, 'Advocate'' in referring to tho shipping shortage and tho accumulation, 'of produce. "With the. etorea full of 'lneat, butfar, and cheesd, and a very limited munocr of ships, there scorns Jittle possibility of effecting a clearanco iboforo tlio new season, opens. It , apjrcars to us that eome more definiteetatelnent 03 to the actnal position should :bo given'by tho Minister; There- is always a tendency to optimism,-and tho producers continue to produco in the ■Jiopo of" Borne nicusuro. of. ralief. It would bo a. mistake to leave tho warning !whcro~it is. If the position is that a perishable product such as butter—which 'is not required for tho troops—has no chance of shipment, tlio Minister should Suimediately inako tho fact known. In [a. couplo of months tho dairy eeason i-Tvill bo opening, tind with moro definite ■knowledge on, this point tho producers lot' butler might be able- to rnuko some 'provision, foi\. installing ohecso plants', or make .arrangements -with tho cheese' 'factories'lo'taie-their milk supply.

; "The New. Zealand Government is probably doing all it possibly can to obtain 'ships, and it.is no fault of theire if wo 'go short; bnt it is unwiso to keep producers in tho dark, if it is poseib'o to givo moro information; In view of tho iwarning issued by the Minister, tho 'butter-factory directors should promptly ponsider how they can best nieotvtho unfortunate, situation that has , arisen. The trouble -may not bo of long duration i .but it is beyond tho power of anyone 1o speak authoritatively on this point. ,We must hope for the best and prepare 'for tho worst. In this difficulty we hopo to see -iho closest co-operation on the ■part of all producers to help tlio dairy.tarmers to meet the situation which 'eeeins lo threaten them with disaster."