SHIPPING FREIGHTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 270, 3 August 1918, Page 10

SHIPPING FREIGHTS

AREfiTHE RATES TOO HIGH?

FARMERS ACCEPT OWNERS'

CHALLENGE

INFORMATION TO BE CABLED FOR At yesterday's sitting of the Dominion Conference of the tfurmeris' Onion, Air. "\V. I). Lysnar (Gisborne) moved that tho president should send the following letter to the chairman of the Overseas Shipping Committee in reply to the communication received at tho conference on Thiirsilny:— "Sir,—On behalf of tho Dominion Conference of tho Xew Zenlnnd I'armer.s' Union, [ have to thnnk you for your letter of the Is; hist., which I have duly placed before tho conference, nnd am requested to reply, stating Hint tho conference will be pleased io take advantage of your commillceVs offer, to defray the cost of cabling to our High Commissioner upon tho matter, and at the same iime to assure you that no memliev of tho conference has the slijjhtesi desire to misstate the slapping position. Consequently, the conference desires me to send the following cablegram :—'Ovewoas coiiunitteo here iisserf Imperial Governmeirt derivo benefit existing high rates freight. Shipping Companies merely agents both inward outward loading, Government paying shipowners rate hue at Blue Book rates, which is equivalent about onefourth current rates chartering prior requisition Jlarch, 1917, also all freights collected handed over to Imperial Government. Cable precisely if above correct, also if Government retains full benefit all freights without any disbursements, also quote freights prior March, 1017, and present freights on wool, meat, butter, and general cargo.' Regarding your statement 'That the rate of freight on meat, cheese, butter, ai;d wool does not concern the farmers as it is -carried in Imperial Government steamers at its own expense,' 1 am requested to point out that in: the opinion of this conference that this is not correct, for in the case of wool mid dairy produce the- farmers lire interested in the surpluses which would necessarily be affected by the freight charges. And in tho caso of meat the freight charges and difficulties of shipping were serious factors the farmers had to fate into consideration in agreeing to sell the meat at the stated prices. The secretary.will let you know later the cost of tho cablegram." lir. Lysnar said that the freight before the war on a bale- of wool ra.n into about 7s. sd. per bale, nnd the freight would be payable at tho other end, while today, the freight would be over M 7s. per bale, and payable jut this end, which ' made a very big difference for insurance, etc. The freight before the war on a GOlb. carcass of meat was :is. 8(1.; now it was 10s. If one took a ship which had a carrying, capacity of 100,000 carcasses, which was about the average the ships trading to lS'ew Zealand were represented to parry at one of the Parliamentary Committee inquiries, at 10s. per carcass,., this would represent .1150,0(10. Other cargo, equivalent to 20,000 bales of wool,' at £i 7s. per bale, represented .E87.000, making a total of .£137,000 on these two heads, which would be about the price of such a'capacity ship before the war. Thus, it would be seen that a ship in one voyage would earn praotieally enough freight to pay its cost before tlie war. The president of the conference (Sir James Wilson) Gaid that he could see no good reason for sending the cablegram, which, by the way, would cost Xl 2. It would produce no.information of value. Jlr. Lysnar must know what the answer vwould be. Mr.' Lysnar r No. I enjmot say. Sir James' Wilson said he did not think the conferesjee would be justified in putting the Shipping Committee to the expense of cabling. Mr. Lysnar replied that the expenses need not worry them. A matter of ,£l2 would bo immaterial to a concern making such profits, Oue of the delegates said that, the Shipping, Committee had thrown on!: a challenge. Was the conference to simply do nothing, and let it lie said that they' had been unable to answer the .Shipping' Committoo Sir James Wilson: T stronsly advise you not to send this cablegram. / On a show of hunds it was resolved, by at least a two-to-one majority, to senil the letter, including the cablegram.