THE Pukekohe and Waiuku Times PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS FRIDAY, OCTOBER, 2, 1914 OUR NEED OF SHIPS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 235, 2 October 1914, Page 2

THE Pukekohe and Waiuku Times PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS FRIDAY, OCTOBER, 2, 1914

OUR NEED OF SHIPS.

" Me nothing extenuate, nor set down aught in malice."

So far as this district is concerned it is essential for its prosperity during war tine that the trade routes should be kept open, and that there should be enough ships at hand to carry our produce at the proper time. Up to date the eafety of the routes has not caused much anxiety, notwithstanding the sinking of one of our ships in the earlier stages of the war. But the fear that vessels may not be available when they are wanted has been very real. In the House on Wednesday the Prime Minister made another statement on this point which i 3 very reassuring. Mr Massey said: "A great deal has been said in the House during the last few days with regard to the possibility of our producers being unable to get their produce away in the comirg export season. I have been looking into the matter very carefully and I find that in October of last year three ships were required to carry away our refrigprated produce. Of course, m difficulty exists concerning any cargo except butter and cheese and frozen meat. This year we have three ships available for the month of October—the Kuahine, the Cor in th ic and the Pakeha. Fcr November of last year there were three ships. This year we have five realy—the Hotorua, the Kakaia, the 'J'ainui, the Zealandic, and the Star of Sco'lan:!—gocd big ships every one of tnem. For December of last year five ships were required Thii year we have five—The Tutakina, the Tjngariro, fie lonic, the Tokomaru and the Indrabarah. lhat Dritigs us to December 31st, and members will see that there is no possibility, sd far as it is humanly possible to judge, of any difficulty occurring between now and the end of the year. Inferring to the coming year, of ciurse the possibility of any difficulty arising is owing to a number of our ships being used for troopship purposes, not only from New Zealand 1u» f< . An-;-, is .„■< .• v, ' . .hie. I' i rnp'.: I•' hi.''lot ■ t:t'-s , :g ;he::i i i J a_s■ •

i> u. ii B i ' if *-' tK • r arrival. 1 ! a-.. i.'ji y. tha ! !.ie«r reply, t"u» 1 !\! y no' th Hiiiii .ic:ht ti.at they will do so. I have informed the shipping companies that I am prepared to meet thern if it is necessary t) send buck aoy of the ships in ballast or only partly loaded with cargo. Tne Imperial authorities have commandeered one of cur ships, the Muritai, and are using her for conveying frozen meat and stores to the troops. I have asked thsm to release that ship at the earliest possible moment. We come now to the first months of next year, continued Mr Masssy, and then we are in the thick of the season. For January and February ot last year we required 18 ships to carry our frczan produce away from New Zealand. For those two months of next year there are 14 ships in eight. The New Zealand Shipping Company has eight, the ShawSavill Company live, and the Dominion and Commonwealth Com. pany one. That is, exclusive of the transports. Then there are four possibilities without touching the transports. There is the Ir.dralema, which will arrive in New Zealand in a few days, and the Indrapura and the Makarir.i now in London, awaiting cargo- for it seems steamers are finding difficulty in the Home ports in getting cargo for this Dominion, and shipa are delayed in consequence. There is then the possibility of these three ships being available, and there is the ship 1 have referred to as having been commandeered. In addition to that, it is possible that the transports will come back to New Zealand before they are required for ordinary cargo. I think that our transpurts will be back in New Zealand before the end of February. In addition to this, one of the companies has also informed me, not officially, that it has eight ships building, ar.d that it has chartered three more." Later on the Prime Minister stated that he had received some further information about the ships available. He was informed that besides the thi pa be had previously mentioned, the Kaikoura would be available in October, the Buteshire in December, one, unnamed, in January, and one, if not two. additional steamers in February. This assurance will doubtless relieve the minds of all those who are engaged in agricultural, pastoral an J dairying pursuits.