SHIPPING POSITION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 168, 5 April 1918, Page 4

SHIPPING POSITION

RESTRICTIONS REMOVED.

Complaints have recently been, madV that, owing to the fact that tallow iei beiDg shipped to America, the shipping; space is being thus utilised to the disadvantage of wool. Mr. A. W. Bennott, general manager of tho New Zenland Shipping Company, Ltd., and ft member of the Overseas Shipping Committee, stated to a Christchurch "Suu representative that a market was certainly now being found in America for tallow, but the shipping away of woolwas not thereby prejudiced. The vessels used for tallow supplies sent to" America were those engaged in the intercolonial trade, whilst sailing vessele were also being utilised. Wool wan , sent away by overseas shipping, and for a long time now tallow, except for a small quantity carried in transports,, had not been exported to England. Possibly what was the real cause of (ho , concern of thoso interested in tho wool business was that instructions had been received a short while ago to ship none but food cargoes to Britain. •■ This reBtribtion had now been removed, thev position as regards food 6n England' having apparently eased, so that wool', was now again a first-preference cargo.. Owing, however, to the limited number of steamers in eight for the April-May loading, no great .relief was to bo expected. This position was accentuated by tho fact that many of the vessels came from Australia, and were only prepared to take meat. At present; there were about 350,000 bales of wool: ready for shipment, this being about three times more tl>an tho usual amount' at this period. Speaking from memory, about six'to seven thousand bales had gone this season. There- were at present aboit half a million freight carcasses, reckoned at GOlb. each, stored in the South Island works, and about two million in the North Island. As far as the South. Island was concerned, there appeared to be plenty of space available in theworks. Shipping 6pace was beingawarded mainly for beef and mutton, but a little lamb was being sent away. Last season's lamb was given preference in tho shipping over tho new seasons liimb, as a considerable quantity had been held over.. In conclusion, Mr. Bennett staled that-there were now about 35,000 casks of tallow awaiting shipment in the .Dominion, and about 5000 pelts.'