NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 158, 9 March 1915, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE.

GREAT DIFFICULTIES IN WAY OF EXPOET. AUCKLAND, Yesterday. "Nothing is to be gained by the Government,'-' declared the Prime Minister to-night, "because it would not make a single additional inch available. Besides that, there are difficultes 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 of 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, but it must be said that circumstances during the present season have been exceptional, and we have not had the best of good fortune in connection with insulated steamers. First of all the Kaipara was sunk, and then the Tokomaru met a submarine. The Nairnshire was commandeered by the Imperial Government, and afterwards took fire. The Muritai was damaged by a collision, and only the other day we were informel by esCino that the Surrey had been torpedoed. Several of the ships trading at Australian ports have been commandeered by the Australian Government, and several others by the British Government. We required in the early part of the season a certan number of insulated ships to take the first expeditionary forces to Egpyt. By arrangement with the shipping companies I brought three of these vessels back in ballast at very considerable expense to the country, but by so doing effected a great saving of time to the producers, who were naturally anxious to get their meat away. I also arranged for the Muritai after being repaired to come back 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. Just 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. In spite of all these difficulties, up to January B.lst we had sent way equalto 1,940,1)57 carcases of mutton, as compared with 806,788 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 1,000,000. "As to prices, "continued Mr. Massey, " Ihave endeavoured to arrange a scale of prices which would be fair to the Imperial Government and also to the producers of this country. Tip to the present I 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 is quite likely that we shall get the first ship away with meat for the Imperial authorities before the end of this week. The steamer concerned is the Kuahine, which is timed to leave Wellington on Thursday. It has been suggested that there might be somo delay with regard to payments for the meat. I am making arrangements so that payment will be made promptly, either at the head office at Wellington or at any of the banks doing business in New Zealand on presentation of the necessary docu* meats." ~^«rti# il "''', - • . •