FROZEN MEAT STEAMERS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 156, 27 November 1914, Page 8

FROZEN MEAT STEAMERS.

QUESTION OF COMMANDEERING. POSITION EXPLAINED. By Telegraph.—Per Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Nearly three weeks ago, it was sttaed, ;in a cabled message from London, that ,the Admiralty was commandeering an increasing number of refrigerating steamj ers for transport purposes without the 1 steamer owners objecting., The Premier immediately cabled to the High Commissioner in London on,the subject, and jhas now received a reply from the High Commissioner, who says that the cabled statement is not correct. , He adds:— "The Admiralty state that they fully appreciate the importance of the" frozen meat trade. Such vessels are not now ■requisitioned, but those engaged will be I released as soon as practicable. The 1 '..New Zealand Shipping Company state •that tlrey have made strong and successful representations to the Admiralty I against the requisition of meat steamers, .(notwithstanding that the charter would ; r be more remunerative. The Shaw, Savill fend Albion Company state that no in'timation has been received that the Adimiralty desires to commandeer more of | its steamers, but adds that the cerrying j for New Zealand under present conditions yields materially poorer returns I than- would be obtained, from other .'• The Admiralty have taken altogether 1 50 frozen meat ships out of the 230 employed. Thirty-five are now conveying (troops from Australasia, and will bo released in January and February. The \release of twelve of the ships is uncertain Iwhile none will be retained until the Vend of the war."

/ The High Commissioner adds that he has only now been able to get this definite information from the Admiralty.