DAIRY PRODUCE SHIPMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 271, 26 April 1915, Page 8

DAIRY PRODUCE SHIPMENTS.

PREMIER AND SHIPPING COMPANIES INTERVIEWED. Messrs. Morton (chairman of the National Dairy Association) and J. B. Murdoch, representing the South Taranaki Dairy Factory Companies, interviewed the Prime on Thursday last in reference to the blockage ot cheese shipments and the serious effect it was having on the industry. The Prime Minister was evidently not fully acquainted with ail tho facts, but when the whole position was placed before him he gave his assurance that h ■ would do all in his power to get the shipments away. Two boats at present loading in Wellington—the Zealandic and the 'Fakeha —are taking absolutely no cheese; the Mamari is taking only 4000 crates; but the deputation received the assurance that in two boats sailing about the 20th and 25th of May space would be reserved for -27.0(H) crates. But even this is not nearly enough, and is not even keeping clear of the factories' make. Messrs. Morton and Murdoch subsequently interviewed the shipping companies, and they all contended that the cheese people were being well treated in comparison with the < In-r products of Now Zealand, but when they came to go into figures it was discovered that they were 40.000 crates out in their estimates. They had been reckoning on 40,000 crates, instead of from 70,000 to 80,000, including the May make. When they realised this position, it put a different complexion on matters, and the deputation believes that the shipping companies will now endeavor to allot more space to cheese than they had originally planned. But so far as the Zealandic 'and the Pakclm were concerned they held out no hope of being able to give any space at all for cheese.

rhere is one outstanding fact in regard to the shipping of produce from New Zealand, and that is that there lias becii one million more carcases of meat shipped this year than last, but 10,001) less crates of cheese. There may be a .satisfactory explanation for this .nit tlie dairy ■people believe they are no u being fairly treated. And practically the same number of boats sailed this year as sailed last—at all events, within two of last year's number. The dairy people and the meat people both have contracts with the shipping coin-, pany, anil tho contracts, so far as freights are concerned, have not been varied. Mr. Murdoch is of opinion, as a result of his visit to Wellington, that they would not get their cheese out of New Zealand until the end of July. It may be mentioned that upwards of C20(>,000 worth of Taranaki cheese is at present being held up. This, in the ordinary course ol events, should have been on the water before this.—lfawera Star.