SHIPPING SPACE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1714, 19 May 1917, Page 3

SHIPPING SPACE.

MINISTER’S REPLY TO MR. W. 11. FIELD, M.P. WARNING TO DAIRYMEN. .Recently Mr \V. 11. field, M.P., wrote to the Acting-Premier enquiring on behalf of Ids farming constituents as to the prospeels of getting the Dominion's produce away, and asking for a lead as to wimt class of produce would he best, manufactured in view of (he possibility of long storage. . Mr Meld

lias now received a reply iroin the Hon. A. M. Myers, Acting-Minister in charge of Imperial, Government Supplies, as follows: —

“Deal- sir.— Further to my Idler of Bth instant, in reply to yours of 3rd instant to the Honourable the Acting Prime Minister. The subject matter of your letter has been carefully considered by the Requisitions Committee, and as a result it conlirms that the position as regards tiie disposal of farm products is one demanding carolul attention, especially "ii the point oi next season’s output. Kverylhing in this connection is dominated by the

q lie-lion of shipping facilities, ami seeing that: tin* extent to whicii

shipping .-pace will he available next season is at present impossible to determine, any pronouncement now made must. lie based solely upon the probabilities of the outlook. This outlook is at present unpromising, ami is made worse by the fact I hat owing to the few ship.available for May and June loading, present season’s supplies of meal, dairy produce, ami genera! cargo arc accumulating in store, and there seems little, if any. prospect of getting the whole of these

accumulations away before tbc next season opens. It is right that fa rmers .-Jioiiid lie advised a- to their farming operations m the near future, but before >mdi advice can he given with the necessary degree of dcliiiileiicss. further information will need to lie obtained from England, and this Inis been asked for by cable. The position as regards butler is fully realised, but it is very doubtful whether it would lie'wise for too many butter factories to cease the mamifaelure of Imller and make cheese instead. Butler can be held frozen, whereas cheese cannot, and the risk of deterioration if shipment is unobtainable being consequently much greater, producers might sillier loss in consequence. The on!pul of frozen meat Ibis season is less limn that of the previous year, and if shipping facilities he further decreased, a further falling off is to he expected next season. This will mean more storage space available for Imller in case of emergency. Prior to Hie receipt of vour letter a cable had already been

sent, requesting information as to whether tin* Imperial Government

desired to acquire next season s cheese out pm, and on receipt of a reply to (ha! and the cable now sent asking for the fullest in|.'ormation possible regarding other produce, the complete facts will he submitted to the Honourable the Acting Prime .Minister, in order that he may he in a position to'make such announcement as he considers necessary." CONFERENCE TO BE HELD. The irouhlous question ol slapping space was considered by Cabinet on Thursday, and it was decided that a conference he held of I he National Fifieiency Hoard, the Requisitions Committee, and the Hoard of Trade on Tuesday next, and to report Ip the Government. Speaking to a Pos| reporter on Friday morning, the Aeling-Prime Minister (Sir James Alien) said the conference would deal not only with shipping Iml with storage and production—if we have to cut down what we can bes| spare and what must be kept going, the best mean.- of keeping essential industries going, aim ,-o on. Production A contingent on shipping. If we cannot gel the ships the produce will have to he kept in New Zealand. A cablegram has been -cut lo Hie Prime Alinisier (Right Hon. \V. F. Massey) on various points connected will) the ditliculty. STATEMENT HV HUN. A. M. MYERS. Anckland, Yesterday. Replying to a deputation from the local freezing companies with reference to the allocation of shipping space, and direct- Auckland representation on the Shipping Committee, Hon. A. M, .Myers stated that a conference will be held next week between the National Eiticiency Board, Hoard of Trade atm the Requisitioning Committee, with a. view to submitting a report dealing with the provision of siorage for meat and dairy produce. The conference will also consider the policy that Government should recommend to he carried out by farmers in the immediate future regarding the holding and killing of stock, and matters relating to agricultural and pastoral industries generally. CARRIAGE OF WHEAT AND GOAL, Auckland, Yesterday. The Hon. A. M. Myers stated that us far as he knew the Imperial authorities hud no intention of eom-

engaged in the New Zealand mail and passenger .services. They had, however, already commandeered four out of live cargo vessels trad-’ ing between the Pacific Coast and New Zealand. Mi* .Myers also stated that arrangements had been made with two shipping companies lo convey wheat from Australia to Xew Zealand and to carry thirty thousand tons of coal from Newcastle to Xew Zealand everv month.