EXPORT OF PRODUCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 307, 5 June 1915, Page 4

EXPORT OF PRODUCE.

FREIGHT TO BE HIGHER.

AS FROM JUNE Ist.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. 'Wellington, Last Night. An increase in refrigerating freights has been ordered by the Imperial authorities, who now control all the steamers carrying frozen produce between New Zealand and Great Britain; but the Prime Minister informed a reporter to-night that he had been able to secure certain concessions for exporters wit>sl a view to avoiding injustice in connection -with produce already in cold store* "When the Imperial authorities requisitioned all the insulated ships trading between New Zealand and Australia and - the -Mother Country they; levelled up the New Zealand freights to something like the rates paid by, Australia and Argentina, taking into •consideration the extra distance to b« traversed," said Mr. Massey. "They hod requisitioned alio the British insulated ships trading to the Argentine. The rates fixed then meant that the British ,'Board of Trade lost money on every; consignment of dairy produce, rabbits, and some other frozen lines, such a» veal and pork. The Imperial authorities informed the New Zealand Government and the exporters concerned several weeks ago that after Juno 1 ther« would be an increase in the freights oa the articles 1 have mentioned. 1 pointed out to the Board of Trade that there were in store in New Zealand larga quantities of dairy produce and raibbits that had been purchased by exporters in confident expectation that the ratea of freight would remain unaltered foit some time, and I suggested that it ■would be hardly fair to niaTce those people subject to the increased rates. The Imperial authorities havo replied to the effect that increased rates will not be imposed in connection with consignments that were in store at the end of May. That is a very generous concession. A point that has not been realised by the people of this country is that under the arrangement at present in operation the Board of Trade pays forty per cent, of the freight on all .frozen meat bought by the New Zealand .Government for the Imperial authorities. There has been no suggestion that local producers should contribute towards the paytment of this forty per cent., which has been added to tha freight charges since the Board of Tredff took over the insulated space."