STRIKE LOSSES.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 October 1925, Page 1

STRIKE LOSSES.

AND CARGO FREIGHTS. SYDNEY, Sept. id. A report of interest to New Zealand luiiier producers, as well as those in Australia for wlio.se eoiisuiupl ion it was issued, lue. I a'en made l.v the Victoria li

Butter Expoi't Freight Committee. The report point-, out that the Oversea Shipping Represent am es* Associal ion Inis been nimble lo provide an itinerary lor this scumoi owing to the disorganisation existing i (trough, the preent strike of crew, on British steamers.

Coiiseqiiciilly forward arrangements cannot be made regarding shipments. At the beginning of last season, the repori recalls, elforts were made by I lie eommiitee simultaneously with a New Zealand delegation in London to secure a reduction in the rate ol freight mi butter and cheese. Prior lo Ibe Ua I- i lie lull e was £ { Ids a ton. Fni' -in, 1I.* lime past th.e rate has been eo per inn. The New Zealand delegation .succeeded in seeming a reduction of £1 a ion oil t lie rale on Imili butter and cheese. Inn Australian elforts were fruit Ins-. According to the report, the main reason given for refusing to extend the freight ri."l:ie| ion in Ati-lralm was he extra expense that shipping companies trading to Australia were loi'eod lo incur through strikes af Australian port.'. Sixty-five thousand tons ol butter were shipped from Australia last vear. and dairymen paid on this quantity £0.1.(100 more freight a- compared with New Zealand rates. As the price of butter sold locally depends upon the lud, price procurable in Loudon and approximately Iio.OOB toils were sold oi I In- local market during the export season. dairvin"n lost another £OI.OOO under this heading, making a total of C I JO,OOO. MOW IT WORKS OCT-

The report gives an instance of how i strike costs dairymen and other primary producers money. I.ast season, through a strike of wharf labourers, [lie a7:iloja had to depart from Melbourne without: inking a box of butter, ill i hongli there were over IDliO tons ready for placing on hoard. The Malo.ia arrived in I,melon on January :ird, ami hut ter carried by this steamer from :mol her State brought IT*' per cw t. The hotter Hull should have gone by the Malo.ia was lifted by two 'lower steamers, reaching London at the etui of January and averaged only loOs pel ~u I The loss of Victorian dairymen be missing the Malo.ia. with that one consignment of hut ter was thus (pJO.OOO. A number of smaller losses during the season owing to similar delays were encountered. '••It seems,” adds the report, "tunt this season a similar or. maybe worse -lute of affairs i- going to he experienced. Ktforts are D ing made to secure a reduction in the rate of Height t" bring dairymen on the same tooting as dairymen in New Zealand. Ihe irreeiilar shipments consequent upon the prose,tl strike, will del rimon tsi.l.v <•!- feet every man engaged in the dan.'iag industry, and as before stated, the dairyman’- ease is only quoted a- an example. All sections of primary producers will be similarly alieclml.