DOMINION NEWS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 30, 5 June 1915, Page 7

DOMINION NEWS.

'produce exports for week. Per Tress (Association. Wellington, June 4. The export of New-Zealand products during the week ended June Ist were valued as follows: ! £ Butter 14,617 Choose J 7,526 Frozen lamb ... ••■ 15,383 Frozen mutton ... ... 25,991 Frozen beef, etc 20,14.6 Gold 16,014 Grain and pulse ... ... 6,962 Hides and skins 348,112 Kauri Gum 14,847 Flax and tow ... ... 24,420 Tallow 13,530 Timber ... ... ••• 1.386 Wool 56,114 THE RAILWAYS. Welington, June 4. The railway working account for the period ended May Ist, gazetted today, show (shillings and pence omitted) : , REVENUE. I North Island.—l9ls £211,672, 1914 i £J81,350. i j South Island.—l9ls £'181,524, 1914 ,£163,519. j Totals.—l9ls £393,197, 1914 £314,990. EXPENDITURE. North Island.—l9ls £129,699, 1914 £110,165. South Island.—£lll,2s9, 1914 £83,840. ! Totals.—l9ls £240,958, 1914 £194,006. j The percentage of revenue expended was 61.28, compared with 56.25 a year ago.

EXPORT OF PRODUCE. Wellington, June 4. An increase in refrigerating freights lias been ordered by the Imperial authorities, who now control all the .steamers carrying frozen produce between New Zealand and Great Britain; but the Prime Minister informed p reporter to-night that he had been 'able to secure certain concesvsions for 'exporters with a view to avoiding injustice in connection with produce al- . ready in cold store. "When the Imperial authorities requisitioned all the insulated ships fcracling between New Zealand and •Australia and the Mother Country jthey levelled up the New Zealand freights to something like the rates I paid by Australia and Argentina, taking into consideration the extra distance to be traversed," said Mr Masjsey. "They had requisitioned also the 'British insulated ships trading to the I Argentine. The rates fixed then meant that the British Board of Trade lost money on every consignment of dairy produce, rabbits, and some other frozen lines, such as veal and pork. The Imperial authorities informed the New Zealand. Government and the exporters concerned several weeks ago that after June 1 there would be an increase in the ferights on the articles I have mentioned. I pointed out to the Board of Trade that there were in store in New Zealand large quantities of dairy produce and rabbits that had been purchased by exporters in conlident expectation that the rates of freight would remain unaltered for some time, and I suggested that it jwould be hardly fair to make those people subject to the increased rates. The Imperial authorities have replied to the effect that increased rates will not be imposed in connection with consignments that were in store at the end of May. That is a. very generous concession. A point that has not been realised by the people of this country

is that under the arrangement at present in operation the Hoard of Trade pays Forty per cent, of the freight on all frozen meat bought by the Now Zealand Government for the Imperial authorities. There has been no suggestion that local producers should contribute towards the payment of this forty per cent., which has boon added to the freight charges since the Board of Trade took over the insulated space."