COMMERCIAL.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 222, 7 June 1915, Page 7

COMMERCIAL.

RAILWAY REVENUE. WELLINGTON, June 4. The railway working account for th e period ended May Ist, gazetted today, shows (shillings and pence omitted): REVENUE. North Island, 1915, £211,6 2; 1914, £110,165. South Island, £181,524 and £163,546; totals £393,197 and £344,906. . EXPENDITURE. North Island, 1915, £129,699; 1914, £110,165. South Island, 1915, £111,259; 1914, £83,840. Totals, £240,958 and £194,006. The percentage of revenue expended was 61.28, compared with 56.25 a year ago. N.Z. EXPORTS. The export of New Zealand products I during the week ended June Ist were I valued as follows:

REFRIGERATED SPACE. THEJINCREASED FREIGHTS. WELLINGTON, June 4. An increase of certain refrigerating freights has been ordered by the Impearial authorities, who now control all steamers carrying frozen produce be tween New Zealand and Great, Britain but the Prime Minister informed a reported to-night that he had been able secure certain concessions for exporters with a view to avoiding injustice in conection with produce already in cold store. When the Imperial authorities requestioned all the insulated ships trad, ing between New Zeaand and Australia and the Mother Country they levelled up the New Zealand freights to something like the rates paid by Australia and Argentine, taking into consideration the extra distance to be traversed, said Mr, Masey. ‘'They had requisitioned also the British insulated ships trading to the Argentine. The rates then fixed 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 author itles informed the New Zealand Government and the exporters concerned several weeks ago that after June Ist there would be an increase in freights on the articles I have mentioned. I pointed cut to the Board of Trade that there were in store in this country large quantities of dairy produce and rabbits that had been purchased by exporters in the confident expectation that rates of freight would remain unaltered for some time, and I suggested ; that it world he fair to- aaahe them-

[people subject to the increased, rates The Imperial authorities have replied to the effect that the increased rate® will not be imposed in connection with consignments which were in store at the e» d of May. This is a very generous concesion. A point that has not been realised by t people of this country is that under the arrangement at present in operaton the Board of Trade pays forty per cent of the freight on all frozen meat bought bby the New Zealand' Government for the Imperial authorities. There has been no sugges tion that local producers should contribute towards payment of the forty per cent., which has been added to the freight charges since the Board of Trade took over the insulated space.”

£ Butter Cheese .... 17,526 Frozen lamb .... Frozen mutton .... Frozen beef, etc 20,146 Gold . .... 16,014 Grain andPuls e 6,962 Hides and Skins 34,822 Kauri Gum .... 14,847 Flax and Tovr ...... 24,420 .Timber 1,396 Tallow .... 13,530 Wool .... 5^114