HIGHER FREIGHT RATES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2243, 24 February 1921, Page 3

HIGHER FREIGHT RATES.

PRIME MINISTER’S STRONG

PROTEST. Wellington, Eel). 21. The Prime Minister to-day issued a lengthy statement concerning the rates of freight on frozen meat, giving copies of the cable communications between the Prime Minister and the High Commissioner on the subject of the proposed increases instead of the 5 per cent, reduction us previously promised on February 12th. The Prime Minister cabled the High Commissioner as follows:—“With further reference to my telegram of February 11th re meat freights, the New Zealand Overseas Shipowners' Committee has advised the freezing companies that under instructions from the London Tonnage Committee increased rates of freights are to he charged in March and April steamers amounting to, beef fi per cent., mutton 8 per cent., lamb 10 per cent., an increase on the rates set out in your cable of January sth. The imposition of .these increased rates instead of the reduction advised by you is indefensible. Please make the strongest protest to the Ministry of Food and request an immediate revision of these rates and the re-establishment of rates as advised in your telegram of January sth. The matter is urgent in view of the adverse influence of this announced increase upon the market values of freezing stock and upon the freezing companies’ operations generally.”

The Prime Minister is now awaiting a reply, and should the same be not satisfactory he will immediately carrv the matter further.