FROZEN MEAT INDUSTRY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 56, 9 March 1915, Page 8

FROZEN MEAT INDUSTRY.

STATEMENT BY THE PREMIER

Phu Press Association. Auckland, March 8

“Nothing is to be gained by the Government commandeering freezing

space,” declared the Prime Minister to-night, “because it would not make a single additional inch available. Besides that, there are difficulties in the< way, as our legislation does not provide for anything of the sort. The authorities who can commandeer space are the Imperial Government, acting on the advice ol the Board of Trade. It has to be remembered that such action breaks existing contracts, the result of which would be that freights which are lower from New Zealand to Britain than from the Argentine or Australia would go up with a bound. There has been a great deal of criticism,” added the Prime Minister, “in regard to the shortage of shipping, hut it must ho said that the circumstances during the present season have been exceptional, and we have not had the best of good fortune in connection with insulated steamers. First ol all, the ivaipara was sunk, and then the Tokomaru mot a submarine. T 1 ic Nairnshire was commandeered hy the Imperial Government, and afterwards took lire. The Muritai was damaged by collision, and only the other day wo were informed by cable that the Surrey had been torpedoed. Several of the ships trading to New Zealand, and which call at Australian ports, have been commandeered by the Australian Government, and several others hy the British Government. V\ T e required in the early part of the season a certain number of insulated ships to take the first expeditionary forces to Egypt. By arrangements with the shipping companies I brought three of these vessels track in ballast at very considerable expense to the country, hut hy so doing effected a groat saving of time to the producers,

who were naturally anxious to get their meat away. I also arranged for tiie Muritai, after being repaired, to come hack in ballast. At my request the Canadian Government released a portion of our ships which they had commandeered, and the Australian Government allowed three to go which it contemplated taking possession of. d.nst lately the Australian Government gave me an assurance that it did not propose to interfere with six ships of the Shaw, Savill and Albion line which are in Commonwealth waters at present, and will come to New Zealand. Then the Imperial Government, I learn from communications which have reached me, is negotiating with shipowners in Britain to; have as many vessels as possible made! available for the carriage of frozen meat for the use of the Allied forces.” I

In spite of all these difficulties, up to January Hist we had sent away equal to 1,7-10,(557 carcases of mutton, as compared with 8(36,788 for the corresponding period of last year. This increase was maintained in the same proportion right through February, so I feel certain that we are ahead of this time last year by at least ;Ct .006,000.” “As to prices,”, continued Mr Massey, “I have endeavoured to arrange a scale of prices which would he fair to the linporial Government and also to the producer of this country. Up to the present T have not received a single complaint, and I believe that the great bulk of the producers and the people* connected with the meat trade are of opinion that it has been done satisfactorily. It ts quite likely that we shall get the first ship away with meat for the Imperial Government before the end of this week. The steamer concerned is the Ruahine, which is timed to leave Wellington on Thursday. It has been suggested that there might be some delay with regard to payment. lam making arrangements so that payment will he made promptly cither at the head office at Wellington or at any of the hanks doing business in New Zealand on presentation of the necessary documents.”