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SHIPPING SHORTAGE

FARMERS DISCUSS THE POSITION STEAMERS NOT ' ~,,;;.,, APPROVED. . \ - .. The shipping shortage was discussed by the Wellington Provincial Conference of the Farmers' Union yesterday. The .follpwing, remits were placed before the 'conference :— ' :■" That' : -the conference bring before 'the Government the serious position' of the fanning community, owing to the shortage of insulated shipping ' ; - and the consequent congestion of meat in the cold stores of tho Dominion—(Waverley.) That_ the Government be urged to capitalise the sum now paid to tho various shipping companies for carrying the Dominion's mails-, and build sufficient steamers to carry all our own oversea niails, passengers, and produce.—(Taihape.) Mr. G. M'Gregor (Wavorley) said tho prosperity of the Dominion ■' depended absolutely on insulated shipping. . The present position was very bad, and was disquieting to the farmers. Great quantities 'of produce were being carried forward in store. Hundreds of thousands of pounds had been spent on additional cola storage, but still the stores'were I congested. :He felt tha£ the farming community ought to face this position and; mobilise resources ■ with the object of improving the position. New Zealand did not seem to be getting fair treatment. Australia had ample- ship-. ping.6pace and empty stores, in.striking contrast with New Zealand.

Mr. H. Morrison (Mnsterton) said that no more important question- could come before the conference. The stores were now full, and if the stuff were not got away before next Novemhor a very serious- position would arise.' The sheep farmer and the dairy farmer were both affected. The present position was that flixty ships were required before November in order to give reasonable space in the stores for next season. He did not think that tho sixty ships were in eight. Ahout twenty of New Zealand's insulated ships had been sunk during the war, and only nineteen insulated ships had been built for the world during the war. The farmers were threatened, with .a severe blockage in the stores during tho 1919-20 season, nnd he would like to see more pressuiie brought to bear on the Government,

Mr. F. W. Hubbard (Tiritea) said there was meat two and three years eld in the stores. That meat would have to be sold •in competition with Argentine chilled meat, and the question of deterioration was going to he a grave one. ~N.ew Zealand's reputation would suitor irom. 'tho ealo of second-grade moat. Mr. W. J. Birch (Alarton) said the meat already in 6tore belonged to the Impels ial Government, but if it wero sold as .New Zealand meat, tho Dominion's good -name might suffer. .Mr. E.< M'Donald (Te Horo) said that New Zealand had been treated unfairly .The Ministers in Britain did not seem able to protect tho formers of this conn- ' Th- president'said the-subject had been before the executive which had felt that the time was not opportune. There were _ two schools of, thought on this shipping question. Some people thought the shortage of shipping was going to continue,. and that, tho Government should build, new ships. Other people thought that..as. ships were now being built-all over'the world there would sooil be plenty of tonnage available. The potion' undoubtedly was very serious, and thei sale'of deteriorated meat would affect. New Zealand adversely for years to ■come.-The conference ought to'impress the importance of the shipping difficulty on the Government.

■ The Waverley, remit was adopted! . Referring to the Taihape reinit, Mr. J. Smith (Taihape) said the Payments for niail services were out. of all proportion to the services rendered/ He had not been able to get exact figures, but lie understood that the Dominion's annual payment for the overseas carriage of mails -was- about' ',£200,000; If this money were capitalised' tho Government could-build its own ships. The meat •and shipping trusts bad their grin oi>. .'the'"country--at the present time." No could ship a carcass 'without--first- undertaking to nlaco its shipping business in a particular direction- for' fiye_ years. The- Dominion■ was not free; while such a state of affairs continued. Mr. Smith referred to 'he amalgamation of shipping companies, and to tho hugo profits of these, ccm'p'anies." '.

■>'Mf. G; D. -M'Farlaiie (Woodvillo) said •the experience. of the Australian Government' would justify New . Zealand in building .6hips for its own use. The producers 'wero suffering at the present time from the operations of the shipping monopoly, and he hoped the union would urge.the' Government to face the shipping problem boldly. There might be some opposition among big farmers who werVinterested in shipping companies. Mr. H.; A.'Nevins (Tinui) remarked that Atlantic shipping rates:were higher now' than'they had been during the war. He was not fond of Government control, but there was no doubt that Government control of shipping rales during the war had done a good deal to protect shippers. Mr. H. Morrison (Masterton) expressed doubt as to the advisability of adopting State'shipphig as a policy, but'advocated Government supervision at both ends. A strong committee ought to .watch the 'farmers' interests continuously in relation, to ...shipping. - The Dominion Con. ference should be urged to set up such & committee.

'; Al r.*, W. B. Matheson (Eketahuna) opposed Slate shipping.. The proposal was dangerous. .Jf the Government controlled shipping why should not it control ' farmers and everything else He moved that tho -, Dominion Conference should be asked to call together the Shipping Committee, with the object of pushing forward the formation,of a NewZealand shipping / company, to- be controlled entirely bj New Zealand" men. He believed that a strong New Zealand company could bo formed which would receive the State subsidies. A State shipping Department would involve the creation of an army of State employees, and possibly would produce a great deal of corruption.

. Other delegates argued that the shipping trust was too strong to be fought by any new company without State aid. Tho shipping trust and the meat trust >ei'e in .alliance. A New Zealand company would be in danger of being absorbed by tho trust very quickly., Government control need not mean Government ownership of all shipping. A single Government line would imaintain tho ,elenient of competition,

Mr : E. Campbell (Wanganui) said the farmers really had the matter in their own hands. No shipping company could trade with New Zealand unless the farmers.provided it with freight. The shipping shortage was, not going to continue. Ships wero being built all over the world, and if the producers nnd tho freezing companies acted in concert they could induce independent lines to send, ships and carry the'produce nt reasonable rates. A company could not be formed in tho Dominion capable r of providing for all tho country's requirements. Tho amount of capital involved was too large. Mr. W. Douglas ' (Tinui) thought all the money required could be raised in Now Zealand. Mt. J. Smith (Taihape) said the capi. talisation of itho mail subsidies would produce ,£7,000,000. Tho question of State management did not alarm him. Tho Government managed the railways and the post office, and it had a big interest in the Bank of Now Zealand. The system adopted in connection with the bank could bo applied to the control'of Stato.shipping.

An amendment.by Mr. Morrison that the Dominion Conference should be ask. cd to call a meeting of-the Shipping Committee to form plans for safeguarding the producers' .shipping interests, was carried. It was recommended Hint the committee should report to the provincial executives. #

• Arthur Benjamin, a young man living in lventislitown, was fined £5 at. the Mf"',v]ebono Police Court for cruelty to a cat ill tying a piece of rag around its neck ; and throwing it on top of an omni,hus,

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19190528.2.62

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 208, 28 May 1919, Page 8

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,252

SHIPPING SHORTAGE Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 208, 28 May 1919, Page 8

SHIPPING SHORTAGE Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 208, 28 May 1919, Page 8

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