OVERSEA SHIPPING PROSPECTS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 16, 14 October 1918, Page 4

OVERSEA SHIPPING PROSPECTS

SOME REASSURING INFORMATION. The Hon. D. H. Gutbrie, Minister of Imperial Supplies, cabled to London some time ago for information regarding the reported statement of Mr. Hoover, United States Food Controller, that the transport of American troops would necessitate the withdrawal of ships from Australasian trade. He stated on Saturday that he had received a reply containing some reassuring information. ''I am informed," eaid the Minister, "that the food arrangements_ of the. Allies have been carefully reviewed in the light of the shipping arrangements already made, and that wo will be notified promptly if there is need for any alteration of plan. In the meantime tho information that was given to us in August regarding shipping stands good, and is not affected by whatever Mr. Hoover may have said. The A'lierican Food Controller appears to have referred to Australasian shipping only indirectly, and his full statement was not cabled.' . ■ t "We were told in August that New Zealand would receive 5,800,000 cubic feet of shipping space to the end of the present year, and that 26,000,000 cubic feet would be allotted to Australasia next year. That would mean about 13.000,000 cubic feet for New Zealand. I have stated already that if this arrangement is carried' into effect our position at the end of next year will be a reasonably good one. There will be. much produce in store, but no more than the stores will be able to handle."