Shipping

Levin Daily Chronicle, 24 July 1917, Page 3

Shipping

. — NEW ZEALAND'S LACK. AM> WHAT OA USES THE LACK. TTHIE HON. MR. MASSEY EXPLAINS. The latest issues of Hansard hold some most interesting news concerning the visit to .Great Britain that was paicl by -New Zealand's principal Ministers. In our leading article to-day, reference is made to the congestion of frozen meat in this country, and a hypothesis put forward as to undercurrents of influence that may be working silently, Following is the letter of New Zealand's Prime Minister upon which our article is founded. The letter was sent by the Hon Air. Massey to Sir Joseph Madlay, who with Sir Kenneth Anderson controls the movements of Great Britain's shipping during the continuanco of the war.

"Dear Sir Joseph,—l regret exceedingly to learn from your letter that .it is intended 'to place in the Plate Trade for one pr more voyages five -steamers usually trading to Australasia, in addition to the four already intimated' to me. In justice to the people of New Zealand I cannot allow this proposal to pass without a most emphatic protest.

"May I remind yon of what has happened to the New Zealand trade already? At the ea-rly stage of tho war we lost two of our ships—the Kaipara and the Tokomaru—whilst another-—the name of which I havo forgotten—was damaged by fire, and and though I understand she has been repaired, lias not been seen in NVw Zealand waters since that time. A new ship—the Hoiorata—was requisitioned by Australia, and has never yet reached -New Zealand. The Clan McTavish, was sunk by the German r.aid'er Moewe. Quite recently the New Zealand Shipping Company's Rotorua was sunt in the English Channel, while the Otaki. Port Nicholson'., and Port Adela'ide, all New Zealand traders, have been sunk.

"I note yon say that four of our ships have already been taken to carrv meat from the Plate, and now it is intended to take five mo-re. I cannot but help thinking tihat this will be very good news for the meattrusts, but, I am afraid, very sad news for the patriotic New Zealand settlers, who have since the outbreak of war been doing everything that is possible for good citizens to do in the crislis through which it-lie Empire is

passing. "I 'have reason to believe there ivre two million freight carcases in the meat stores of tho dominon, and I cannot think that it is necessary to cause the very serious hardship to a Dominion of the Empire, which the proposal of tho Shipping Board involves, in order to keep the United Kingdom and the Army supplied with meat. "I am proud of the fact that New Zealand in proportion to its population led the other dominions in the assistance she has been able to render during the war, but I am afraid that what is happening now is a poor return for her loyalty and enthusiasm. However, it will not affect tho loyalty of New Zealand citizens in the very slightest, but they will feel they have been treated with ingratitude if this proposal is persisted in.

"I am strongly of opinion that very strenuous efforts should be made to avoid the hardship which it is proposed to inflict upon the loyal and deserving citizens of New Zealand.— I have, etc., W. F. MASSEY." The Chronicle has not space to reprint further informative details of the progress of the Prime Minister's endeavors to secure amelioration of New Zealand's hard case: but the result of the endeavors was negative. This is made clear hy the fact that the "two millions" of carcases held in New Zealand when the Hon. Mr. Masseys letter was being written has since then been increased to about four millions 1