LARGE EXPORT TRADE

Hokitika Guardian, 12 May 1931, Page 8

LARGE EXPORT TRADE

RECORD WOOL SHIPMENT ON MAHANA WELLINGTON, May 8. Full cargoes of produce for London have been the outstanding and Die most satislaetory feature ot the Dominion's oversea trade in recent weexs Tile present export season gives indica lions of being a record one m point of volume, though, of course, not in \ nine, owing to the low prices ruling lot the country’s staple products. > With the departure ol the Muhin last evening, the Shaw. Snvill and Albion Company, Ltd., has dispatched tnree liners in ns many days this week with completely full cargoes for London ti< others being the Alalnma, which, sailed on Tuefdny, and the 'liunaron, left on Wednesday. The three ships are carrying among them .‘ill,bod bales of wool and 71)1) hales ot .sheepskins. The shipments are as follows:

Wool Sheepskin bales hales. Ma lean a ... u>,4n< 171 Tama run ... 5,7)1!) 180 ALahia ... 14,(177 442 Total ... 3(5,(153 79!) Tin* Ma,liana's shipment of wool is one of the largest, taken by a single vessel from the Dominion for some years, bile the total carried by tie* three ships is a notable dispatch to he marie by one company. in addition to the wool the ships have on hoard over ofj.OdO boxes < f butter and nearly 28.000 crates ol cheese, as well as large quantities of frozen meat, fruit and other cargo.

DEMAND FOR SPACE. At the proven time twelve or more" large o*.ersea liners are lording at New Zealand ports, and they will be dispatched for London this month with fall cargoes (says the "Dominion ’). Ibe provision of adequate tonnage to meet the great demand lor export cargo s( ace lias presented unusual difficulties this season owing to file great fa'ling-off in tlie import trade of the Dominion. In normal years the -ships are assured of cargoes both outward and homeward hut during the last six months or longer there has been a verv great decline in the volume of cargo to be brought to New Zealand. Thus, in order to provide sufficient shipping space tor the export trade tin' companies have been compelled to firing ships out from England “in ladlast’ or, in other words, without cargo while many others have been only partly loaded. Including those now on the way out, some twelve ships have left England in ballast this year, and at hast three of them will have made two outward passages in this manner. This, of course, means greatly added expense to ihe shipping companies tor if costs oractieally as iniicli for the running expenses of an empty ship as for a laden vessel which is “earning her keep.”