MEAT FREIGHTS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 127, 22 February 1921, Page 6

MEAT FREIGHTS

IMPORTANT COMMUNICATIONS ANOTHER INCREASE ANNOUNCED MR. MASSEY’S STRONG PROTEST \ On July 26, 1920, a cablegram was j- 5 " received by the New Zealand Overseas Shipowners’ Committee stating fhat the i Imperial Government would retain control of insulated space until April, 1921, and that: the rates of freight to be charged for the carriage of free meat authorised to be carried in such space would be as follow: — Beef ljd. per lb. Mutton and tegs ... ljd. per lb. Lamb 2d. per lb. | All plus 10 per cent. Numerous cable communications subsequently passed between the Prime Minister and the High Commissioner, in which the latter -was requested to urge upon the Imperial authorities thlat the rates mentioned should be reduced, and the following cablegram, dated January 6, 1921, was received from the High f \ Commissioner:— Am informed by Ministry of Food that revised rates for carriage private mctat from New Zealand to the United Kingdom have been fixed as follow: —Mutton ljd. per lb.; lamb, 2d.; beef, 13d., all plus 5 per cent. Fates to bo effective forthwith. It is not anticipated that there will be any necessity to further revise during the period of control. You will observe fhat new rates show a reduction of 5 per cent, on those previously quoted and referred to your telegram August 4. - . . The Prime Minister later cabled to the High Commissioner a? follows, on January 17 last:— Referring to your telegram, of January 5, shipping companies here have not received advice of reduction in rates of freight on meat. He cabled again on January 31 as foli ■ ‘ lows: — With reference itlo your telegram of January 5 and to my telegram of . January 17, shipping companies’ representatives here have not yet received instructions from their principals to accept reduction of 5 per cent on rates for carriage private meat!. Your telegram of January 5 was made public on receipt, and ' meat exporters are very dissatisfied. Please inform me as early as possible what is the position. A reply was received from the High Commissioner, dated February 8, 1921, as follows: — With reference to your telegram of February 1, meat freights, Ministry of Food staples that Wellington Committee was instructed December 11 to charge equivalent to’ 1445. per 40 cubic feet, plus 5 per cent., and Ministry understood that rates ■ - charged in respect uo all shipments of private meat were those referred to in my telegram of January 5. It would appear tuat Wellington Committee does not agree with calculations made by steam ship companies here as no true equivalent, and Ministry are cabling for particulars poundage rates, which have j. been actually charged. Will telegraph further as soon as jgissible. To which the Prime Minister forwarded the following reply on February 11: .. With reference to your telegram of February 8, meat freights, I communicated to Press for information producers and meat! exporters contents of your cablegram of January 5, in which Ministry of Food definitely stated that certain reduced , poundage rates would be effective forthwith, and that it was not anticipated that any later alteration would be found necessary. Stock has been purchased and contracts made on this basis, and itl is imperative that shipping companies should be 4 immediately informed by Ministry that rates mentioned are effective from the commencement of the season.

Oe February 11 the Overseas ShipCommittee advised freezing companies under instTuctiona from the Imperial Government, through the medium of the London Tonnage Committee, that it had been found, owing to the absence of cut carcasses, that the rates of freight' at present being charged were not sufficient to reimburse the Imperial Government and that it was necessary to charge the following rates of freight for private meat, .beginning with the group of eteamere to be allotted for March loading:— Beef, 115-16 d. per lb. Mutton and tegs 2Jd. per lb. Lamb 25-16 d. per lb. The above rates were not to apply to c.l.f. sales already effected by freezing companies, which would be carried, at the following' ( rates: — Beef lid. per lb. Mutton and tegs ... l;d. per lb. Lamb 2d. per lb. All plus 10 per cent. On February 12, 1921, the Prime Minister cabled to the High Commissioner as follows: — With further reference to my telegram of February 11, meat freights, New Zealand Overseas Shipping Committee have advised freezing companies that under instructions from London Tonnage Committee rates of freights are to be charged in March < and April steamers amounting to: Bleef, 6 per cent.; inutton, f. per cent.; lamb, 10 per cent, increase on the rates set out in your cablegram of January 5. Imposition of these increased rates instead of reduction advised by you is indefensible. Please make strongest protest to Ministry of Food and request immediate revision of these rates and the establishment! of rates as advised, in your telegram of January 5. Matter is urgent in view of adverse influence of this announced increase upon market values of freezing stock and upon freezing companies’ operations generally. The Prime Minister is snow awaiting a reply to the last cablegram and should Same be not sa’Asfactory he will immediately carry the matter further.