PRODUCE AND SKIPPING.

Colonist, Volume LXI, Issue 15088, 3 June 1919, Page 4

PRODUCE AND SKIPPING.

-q». [Unite© Pkess Association.}

Wellington, June 2. Cables from London reporting improvements in shipping prospects are having a cheering effect on producers, and exporters, but the anxiety will not. be_ fully allayed until the promised ships are. actually in New Zealand waters. The present position is that there are nearly 7,000,000 carcases of frozen meat in the stores. Of this quantity the Department of Imperial Supplies is expected to ship about 750,000 freight carcases during the present month. The cheese stores contain about 300,----000 crates. The pressure will be much relieved this month and next month. There is no doubt that there has been some deterioration in portions of this cheese, owing to the delay in shipment. This deterioration does not affect producers, the loss falling upon the Imperial Government. It has to be taken into account, when prices are being compared, that New Zealand producers are not getting as good a price under the Imperial contract as Canadian producers are getting from a free market. On the other hand. New Zealand producers havohad the advantage of a fixed price and a secure market at a time when shipping wa3 exceedingly scarce. The amount of wool in store in this '. country is about 400,000 bales, of which roughly 100,000 bales are washed, scoured and sliped wool. Shipment is. not so pressing in the case of wool as in tho case of cheese, since wool doesuot deteriorate in store.