CHEESE FREIGHTS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 71, 17 December 1920, Page 9

CHEESE FREIGHTS

• SHIPPING COMPANIES'OFFER A REDUCTION ■' •' MR. MASSEY'S. EFFORTS . K'ec'erddy".,the Prime Minister cabled'.to the High Commissioner, asking hira to! protest etrongly.iagainst th» hig -incrdns*' in the rates of-freight on oheeßo. Last evening; he received' the- following cnblogfam frbm-the'tlfgii Commissioner, dated December 15, in.reply:— "With reference.:to your telegram or November 11, I have mndo strong representations' to Ministry of. Food and the steamship'companies with, regard to pro-posed'-inoroase. Former, informed mo the holds are being released', to shipowners for carriage of this season's, cheese, and •I .'therefor©' continued negotiations with the' Shipowners' Conference, pointing; out ~the-disparity;.whon-values of product prcwa¥ and present'were'compared.' I also* ■Supported tlttS protest made by the-Home' and' Foreum Produce Exchange. I lmvon no# received,:a„reply. from' the' Toniagei 'Committee'to the effect that value, of thes article conveyed' cannot be tho chief-fac-tor in determining the rate' of freight to W charged,. Cost of conveyance must bo tlw.ultimate: factor., and- the proposed rate was' abundantly justified- on. this basis. As compared with pre-war rates, steamers-now costncaVly four times ns' much", and' tho. cost of', running is fully three times more, so-that the' increase is; less, than is proportionate with the''altered'conditional

"Shipowners, howover, do. not wiih-'tb' •dbpl) .an- attitudo, which has.Bven tho appearance, of- 'prejudicing industry-, and .as' tho- Ministry of Food' has- gi'vem them ebm'e freedom',of action with regard: to oheeseifreightsi thooommittee ask whbther a'iate'bf 1 5-lCd„ plus 10 per conli.,. wouldbe satisfactory-'to Government of NewZealand-, and. shippers.. B. bo, the commitfee' ik'.propared; to' recommend, owm?w to'- aocopf. the .lower rate. The concession M nu important ono, representing, on tKoCSportablo surplus iigurcs-given, in your tblegrain of October 18 a saving, of oyer: and I would bo 1 glad if you' will consider the niatter, with those interested «md.,ndvise'mo if thi>' reduction is acceptable.— (Signed - Allen." '- . ' -The Prime Minister-stated that .ho would"'fake- Btops as' suggested in thocnblegtli'm' to communicate'with those' interested and' arrive at rt decision.-. It was Jusf possible that a further slfght reduetioH' might be. madfe on' therate intimated iir the -High- Coiiim-issioijer's cnblegram; . . Tbo-'Prirtlß Minister yesterday .psceived a cablegram.from tho Secretary of-State; for the'.'Colo'niea which- gave tho following information:—,-' ' : '. ■'■ The n«w rates of freight on cheose,.. .'l(eiw Zealand' and' Ehglaiid, are' not .fixed by His Majesty's Government, , but a'ro quoted-by, shipowners' for carriage ,of new season's' clieesj which. * is in' the hands of,private.trade; thff holds beiiig released from requisition' 'for tho purpose; '■■'.- The Prime-Minister in reply ■to the- Secretary of State for' the Colon-iesi'-expressing" bis satisfaction that tho increase in the rate, of ;freight on' cheese ins not been nindii.under' tho direction of the Imperial tiuthorUieSj and urging that «s the- space- has beeu relon'swl from- re-quisition-for the-special' purpose of carrying ;free- cheese, tho'lmporial authorities should insist that the rdte : charged should lipt. be', in excess- of that : which, would othonviso- have,-- l«en' • charged' uijdor re?' fluisition: ■■ ' ■ ( ■, .