IMPERIAL SUPPLIES.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 November 1918, Page 2

IMPERIAL SUPPLIES.

NEARLY 60. MILLIONS PAID.

The Financial Statement contained tlie-following remarks on the, sale of Imperial supplies:—■ The requisition of the principal primary products of the Dominion by the Imperial Government has been continued during the past year, and the output of butter has been included in the purchases made on behalf of the Imperial authorities.

The purchase of frozen meat commenced on March 3,1915, and from that date to March 31, 1918, the following shipments were made: —1,900,267 quarters beef, 7,294,204 carcases mutton, 8.970,976 carcases lamb, the total fo.b. value of which amounted to £22,851,832.

The prices paid for these shipments have been on the same basis as for the previous year, and the present contract for the purchase of meat continues until the expiration of three months after the war. ■

Amended arrangements have been completed in connection with the' payment for storage, and the Imperial Government now accepts full liability for such charges from one month after the date the meat has been placed in freezing chambers -until shipment has been completed. In addition, the Imperial Government has accepted the liability for insurances after the meat has remained in store for a period of four months.

The purchase of sheepskins commenced on "February 1, 1917, and since that date 2,014,548 skins have been purchased and sent to felimongers for treatment, valued at £757,323; 324.314 hides were purchased, valued at £596,762. The requisition of hides ceased on March 28, 1918.

The 1917-18 clip of wool was purchased by the Imperial authorities on the same conditions as for the previous year, and since the commencement of operations- in December, 1916, the total quantity of wool paid-fot amounted to 981,573 bales, valued at £23,360,888. In.addition. 62,981 bales of freezing companies' slipo wool were included in the requisition, and advances totalling £1,594,895 were made against sUch, wool. "The previously existing arrangements providing for final. valuation of freezing companies' wool in London have since been altered, and. commencing on April I, 191S, all freezing companies' wool is purchased • outright in the-Dominion. Tne 1917-18 output of .-cheese was pur-chased-by'the Imperial authorities, .the price being feed at l«d per pound f.p.b. for'ffrst-'grade cheese -and 9%d per pound f.ob. for second-grade cheese, storage being borne by the'lmperial Government after the cheese'has remained in store priori "of three months. The''.'foliowin'*;itatement; shows the .tQ'i'al.shipments-i'and payments made by the .Bnjjeriai Goverritient in respect of clJßeiefpto6naseti;sine& tEe\first requlsli\bn,vr^;.'J;" '"' ;'' "".•''■'' .."'': ;' ,:: ..-'■•■'.•

'■■;'s. He' ftiwel>*s£;;F<?T %deffor 'W'jmyflient wjrer l : e'enk ~after-- tire; cheese liajj ; - ; re-; lit store iorra:-perio4i;of ; ; 2S ; d%p; T b'utte <nutpufcT?eflui&jtipried ¥y %e { litfperiftt J ~the, price was ■fixefl' : -a't.'-"-refa pw r huatedweight., 'With -tfie- additiono* 50...per:ceut, of any profits resulting from aftl^n ; the tfaited Kingdom-" : .-".".■;:-:-.'- - .---To March_3.l, 3,918, 362,863 boxes -were ! dipped, and payments' made ~i stalling ' £2,240,622, The arrangements for purchase provide for the payment of an advance of 00 per eeiit. after' the 'butter has remained in store for a period of 28 days. • The purchase of seheelite commenced on September 20, 1915, and 505.tonsiwero shipped, and the payments made totalled £«7.6M. The total of all payments made to producers on behalf of the Imperial Government from March 3, 1915, to March 31, 191S, amount to £69,211,190, while, in addition, payments totalling £670.254 ■were made in connection with services rendered on behalf of the [Dominion Government, the total payments made by the .New Zealand Government being

;&iS?W : *e£5Wj;pJi.e- ........ ,iajL7rli>ea59n. ftp" March'31','1018)oJ ; ;' ' fcraites: '•i'S!).5b3' ,: ."' "Jfl«.326 '•'• '''?i^ 7 *( ; .t Value £ OT/74S 3,295,557 3107#M