SHIPS FOR MEAT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 215, 9 June 1920, Page 8

SHIPS FOR MEAT

GOOD SERVICE MAINTAINED

POSITION OF DAIRY PRODUCE

The supply of shipping for frozen cargo from New Zealand has been extraordinarily good ever since the British Government began to make its serious effort to lake awny from this country the accumulations of meat in the cold stores. The Prime Minister said yesterday that ever since the congestion in England was overcome tho supply of ships appeared to have been very pood, and it was keeping, up very well indeed. If the present rate should be sustained, the quantity of mutton in the stores at the beginning of next season, or at the end ot the calendar year, would certainly not be more than the estimated quantity ho' had (riven to the conference of producers in Wellington some two weeks ago. That estimate was two and a half million carcasses, but some of the shippine; men at the conference had said nt the timo that they would be able to do better than this. It appeared now that thev might do no. It is difficult to pet alt any time a reckoning of the ships available for loading in any months, because the times of arrival and departure are so uncertain even yet. , Ships in sisht for June loading provide for 505.000 carcasses, and for July loading 992,000 carcasses. But there are also a number of ships, some of which have.already arrived, which are not included in tins reckoning.' They, will take cargo also in June and July. * It will be noted that in _ these calculations no provision is ibeing made fordairy produce. The position of the shippers of dairy produce will not be so good as it was during the requisition period, and it may unfortunately happen that they will not be so well treated. The shipping is controlled by the Imperial Government, and there is not the slightest indication yet that tho control is to cea«v Certainly there soems to be no possibility of release of shipping from control before, the end of the year, and possibly not for months after that. It is reasonable io suppose that the Imperial Government,- as controller 'of shipping, will lie anxious to lift first of all its own produce—the meat—on which heavy storage has to be paid so long as ft remains here. They will have _no such anxiety about butter which is goms: Home for a free market. This is not a worse position (than that in which the butter producers have found themselves at times during the war, and it is not at all impossible that they will get some sooco for their butter. But they will have to nsk for it, and perhaps will have to fight for it. Under tho commandeer the Imperial Government has had all the responsibility and all the anxiety. ■