SHIPPING SHORTAGE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10277, 12 May 1919, Page 8

SHIPPING SHORTAGE

POSITION IN NEW ZEALAND

VIEWS OF WELLINGTON CHAJM- • BEK OF COMMERCE.

Reference to the shipping position in tho Dominion is made in'the annual report of the council of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. The shipping shortage was acute until December, states the report, but since that datw,, ancl particularly from tie United Kingdom, there has been -a great number of. vessels arriving in' New z;ealand—in fact many of them carrying troops have come in ballast—-and largo quantities of New Zealand produce have, been- lU'ted: _ There is' still a. very serious shortage" in vessels having the requisite insulated space to curry frozen meat. : /The season is drawing to a close, but the largo-accumula-tion of produce ready'for shipment 'is taxing the capacity , of cool stores throughout the J>ominion to the utmost', and'steamers with, insulated (holds ai'e urgently .wanted'to relieve the congestion of frozen produce. . ".. ■ . '.. One' of tho most interesting aspects of the shipping trade has been the increased number, of sailing vessels'arrive ing in the Dominion from the west coast of the United States of America bringing cargoes of case oil and quantities of general cargo.' ' Some of these vessels have made extremely; smart trips, and have shown that the day of the sailing vessel is by no means over. The present position regarding this : class, of is the difficulty, of : obtain jag back loading to the United States ol America, particularly in view of the falling off in the demand for hemp. During the past three months some vessels have left New Zealand ports with part cargo only at low rates of freight, and, in other cases, in ballast, return cargoes being unobtainable. The position of intercolonial during the year has at times been, critical, and particularly from September to January. Owing to quarantine restrictions, labour .troubles, and general shortage of ships, there was a large accumulation of cargo at Sydney and Alelbourne awaiting shipment to New Zealand ports. borne overseas shipping companies have refused to give through bills of lading for cargo shipped to New Zealand from Eastern ports, and from the United Kingdom, where, transhipment has had to bo effected at Aus tralian ports. It is believed that this attitude has been aidopted owing. to the congestion of cargo in Australian ports and the uncertainty of the amount of storage and transhipping charges likely to be incurred. This attitude of tho shipping companies (has been a serious one for the New Zealand importer, as he has had to make arrangements in Sydney for the forwarding of his cargt. by intercolonial steamer, has had to pa> storage and transhipping charges,, and, in many cases, has often been faced with the disability that the intercolonial steamship company, has insisted upon issuing a bill of lading stating that the cargo is insufficiently packed, notwith standing that the first carrying steamship company issued an unqualified bill of lading. This practice on the part of intercolonial steamship companies has been a serious matter for New Zealand importers when cargo has arrived in a damaged or pillaged condition, and the pinion is almost universal in commercial circles that unfair advantage , has . been taken. i It is felt bv the commercial community that, with the high rates of freight which have been ruling, limitation ol liability of shipping companies to £5 pei cubic foot has been too little in view oi the fact that the general increase in prices of commodities has resulted in .x>da of everyday use which in prewar times would come welt within tihis limitation of value, now being. invariably of greater value. The position is even worse in connection with good* shipped in the" United States of America on railway through bills of lading wherein the limitation of liability is 100 dollars for any one package. It is realised that possibly very little can be done in New Zealand regarding improving bills of lading conditions under whicn goods are carried, as, in the'case of all our imports, the contract of carriage is not made in New Zealand, and New Zealand legislation does not affect such contracts. |

Up to tih© time of the Armistice there was a considerable,.accumulation of wool in stores throughout New Zealand. The bulk of the 1917-18 clip was still unshipod and the new season's .wool was coming into store. The situation looked a difficult one, and it was feared that a considerable quantity would have to remain in tho country in the hands of

growors, which would consequently not be paid for by the Imperial. Government., However. the improved slupqipg outlook since the. Armistice hj,s cleared the position, and the last of tho 1917-18 clip was got away in January-February this year, and a good quantity of the new season's clip; has also been removed to America- and tho United Kingdom, and the outlook is for clear stores for the next season's clip.