SERIOUS PLIGHT

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10291, 28 May 1919, Page 6

SERIOUS PLIGHT

SHIPPING SHORTAGE FARMERS DISCUSS MEANS OF HELPING THEMSELVES. At the Farmers’ Union Conference in Wellington yesterday, the shipping question was discussed, and it was agreed on all sides that New Zealand is now in a serious plight. Mr Gregor McGregor averley) moved—“ That the conference bring before the Government the serious post tiou of the farming community, owing to the shortage of insulated shipping and the consequent, congestion of meat in the cold stores of the Dominion. Mr McGregor said that the prosperity of the Dominion depended on the insulated saoo it could get. The osition now was very bd. Certainly the end of the season had arrived, hut them was much stock held over. Hundreds of thousands of pounds sterling had been spent in the erection of extra cool-storage places, hut the accunuilntion was increasing. When the next season arrived, they would still be load • ed up with back produce. They should do something more than had been done in the past. New Zealand wos not ceiling fair treatment as compared with Australia. Our stores were full and theirs wore empty. The matter was of great importance to the whole Now 'Zealand community. , GRAVITY OF POSITION.

Mr H. Morison (Mastertou) declared chat when the new season’s meat began to come in the stores would still be full. If they did not got the stuff away between now and next November, the position would be very serious. It was understood that New Zealand was to get fourteen boats next month, but there were 7,000,000 carcases in store, and it would take CO vessels to relieve tho position. Ho had boon given to understand that twenty of our insulated boats had been sunk during the war, and that in the whole world only nineteen had been built. If the position was not taken in hand right away, there would bo a blockage again next year. Mr W. Hubbard (Tiritea) said we .were looking ouU for new markets, and it would bo a had thing if we had to send to them meat' that _ had been so long in store that it was in second-rate order.

Mr W. J. Birch (Marion) said that Mr Hubbard was wrong, because tho Imperial Government had bought the meat to which he referred. However, it would not do New Zea’and any good to have meat of the kind referred to going to any consumer*. Tho president of the conference (Mr G. L. Marshall, of Marton) said that on this problem there seemed to be two separate schools of thought. One school contended that the shipping was inadequate, and that -we would bo “up against it.” The other said that there would bo so much ' shipping available that freights would actually come down. Mr Morison: I don’t think that applies to insulated boats.YEARS OF INJURY MAY RESULT. Mr Marshall said that this was the most serious thing they were lip against *iv New Zealand at thq present time. If our meat reached the consumer in a stale condition as against the fresher Argentine meat that, would bo detrimental to us for years to come. The conference should strongly represent the position to the Minister. The nvtion was tarried.

Mr J. Smith (Taihape) then moved: —“That the Government bo urged to adopt some scheme such as capitalise the sum now paid to the various shipping companies for carrying the Dominion’s mails, nnd build sufficient steamers to carry all our own oversea mails, passengers and produce.” Mr Smith said that the freezing industry was in the hands of the meat and shipping trust, and he moved in the direction mentioned .on that account. ■

Mr W. B. Matheson (Eketahuna) suggested an amendment on those lines; “'that the Dominion executive bo asked to again call a meeting of the shipping committee to push forward the floating of a New Zealand-company to he controlled by New Zealand men.” There was grave danger in asking the Government to take over the shipping business, but the Government could not refuse to give to a Dominion company the subsidy it had so long paid to outsiders.

Mr Hugh Morison thought it was a big question whether the Government should go in for the shipping business, but it was time the Government at. either end brought on the shipping people such pressure; that they ; would have to reduce freights. The question was too big to deal with at the conference, but the Dominion Conference of the farmers’ Union should be urged to set up such a committee, if the one previously elected was defunct. HOW TO DICTATE TO THE SHIPPING COMPANIES.

Mr E. Campbell (Wanganui) said that if there was unity among the producers they could dictate to the shipping companies. There was a great rush of shipbuilding all the world over, and the producers should be able to make an arrangement which- would bring freights down with a bump. It Would be a mistake for the Government to take over a shipping business, and as to a farmers’ company, ho did not think the capital could be got in New Zealand just now. Mr G. D. McFarland* (Woodville) thought that the Governments at both ends should control the shipping to tide u« over our present difficulties. Mr Hugh Morison moved as in amendment: —“That the- ■ Dominion executive be asked, to again call a meeting of the shipping committee to formulate a plan of safeguarding our shipping interests and that the committee report to the provincial executives.”

This amendment was carried. MINISTERIAL COMMENTS,

The question of shipping was mentioned at the banquet m the evening by the Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald, who said that he had been assured that Australia was getting 33 per cent, of the refrigerated space and Now Zealand 66 per cent. As, to combinations of shipping companies, one advantage was that steamers'working under one control would not duplicate on small ports. When the demobilisation was ended the farmers would no doubt make a good arrangement for the carriage of their produce. 't he Hon. D. id. O-uthria also referred to tho subject. Our stores, he said, were nearly full. There were 6,400,000 carcases in store, and the total capacity was 7,000,000. But for the epidemic and the strikes at Home the position would hare been better. He had recently informed Mr Mawoy that New Zealand needed at least 14 ships per mouth. There were to be nine extra ships in June and generally tho outlook was brighter.