THE SHIPPING SUPPLY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 310, 25 September 1918, Page 8

THE SHIPPING SUPPLY

AND MR. HOOVER'S STATEMENT

MR. GUTHRIE'S VIEWS

The statement of the American Food Controller, to the effect that there will be such calls on shipping for the Atlantic trade between Europe and North America that ships will have to be withdrawn from the Australian trades, is not confirmed in effect by any news received by the New Zealand Government. The Hon. D. H. Guthrie, Minister in charge of shipping arrangements for the export of produce from this country, said yesterday that he had received absolutely no advice that it is the intention of the Imperial authorities to divert any of the ships already promised to New Zealand. The arrangements made up till the present erf-end only until the end of the year, but nothing has happened to lead the Government to suppose that there will bo no ships after that time. On the contrary, the indications have _ i'een that there will be reasonable shipping available for the New Zealand trade.

MR. HAROLD BEAUCHAMP'S OPINION THE IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT'S PURCHASES. .Mr. Harold Beauchamp, chairman of directors of the Bank of New Zealand, when interviewed yesterday regarding Mr. Hoover's statement, said that he did not think that a too liberal construction should be given the Hoover message as it appeared in the Press, in which was advocated the taking over of the whole of the Australasian shipping during 1019 and diverting it to the Atlantic. No one doubted for a moment the vast quantities of food and munitions that would be needed for the supply of troops and civilians, or that America would be at her wits' end to provide the essential needs of transportation, but it must be remembered that Great Britain, to a very large extent indeed,' depended upon Australasia for her supplies of wool, frozen meat, butter, a'nd cheese, all of which had, indeed, been commandeered by the Imperial Government, and the onus of transportation of the commandeered food now in store rested with the Imperial Government. As to wool, Mr. Beauchamp stated that as the Imperial Govermont had bought the wool for cue year from June following the termination of the war, in the event of the war terminating about July in any year it would mean that the Imperial Government would have control of the wool output for approximately two years thereafter.

Imperial Government Purchases. Efforts had been made, continued Mr. Beauohamp, to induce the Imperial Government to make the commandeer of meat co-terminal with that of wool. If that were done it would be in the interest of the Dominion as a whole, and would ensure stability of finance. Such a suggestion had practically the unanimous approval of the meat companies of tho Dominion. if something of tho kind were not done there might be difficulties in fixing tho prices upon tho termination of the war —taking into account the vast quantities of foodstuffs that wero likely to be in store when the war ended—for. such goods would take precedence in shipment, as they were already bought and paid for by the Imperial Government, which was likely to maintain control of the shipping until some time after the war ended. "I personally am inclined to the opinion," said Mr. Beauchamp, "that the statement has been made _by Mr. Hoover after some negotiations with Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward, and possibly some of tho Australian statesmen, who had probably been pointing out the necessity, or at least the advisability, of allowing certain Australasian ships now engaged in tho North Atlantic getting back into the Australasian trade in order to lift the large quantity of produce wo have in cold store, in view of the coming season. Mr.'Hoover has probably replied that rather than release such steamers ho will want others now in the , Australasian trade to permit of America keeping her obligations with her own Army and tho Allies. "You may remember.." said Mr. Beauchamp,' "that a short time ago the Allies decided to pool their shipping in order to allow of vessels being sot aside to lift available produce, having regard to the exporting exigencies of- the country. As one closely concerned with shipping, I can only say that there is no indication so far of the adoption of such a policy as that accredited to Mr. Hoover. It is not impossible, but it is highly improbable. For example, the produce commandeered in New Zealand during the year cost some £30,000,000. Having paid that amount it is hardly likely that the Imperial authorities are not going to lift it as soon as possible. The interest alone on such a sum would amount to £1,500*000."

America's Record Crops, ■Mr. Beauchamp drew attention to the gratifying plenitude of America's grain crops. An extract from a reliable .report, dated August 5, says :— "The outlook for the growing crops is not .quite so good as reported last month, but no serious damage has been done, outside of deterioration' in tho condition of cotton. The Government estimate includes 891,000.000 bushels of wheat, 2-10.000,000 bushels more than last year; 3,160,000,000 bushels of corn, which would be the largest crop on record; 1,437,000,000 bushels of oats, a crop- which has been equalled only twice in the past; and record crops of barley, rye, potatoes, and tobacco. The problem of labour for harvesting is a grave one, liu , the Government is cooperating 'wif' the farmers and has gre.atlv helped the situation. The Kansas wheat ci'o's is practically safe, and much praise is triven the United Ptates Employment Service for its help." From a private source Mr. Bonuchamp has lenvned that the Canadian wh«at- crop HII run to 200,000.0 ,) 0 bushels, so tlwt as far as foodstuffs nre concern ,, '! the Allies h°ve to need to worn - . Transportation i« the gravest, problem to be contended with during the ensuing year.