SHIPPING SHORTAGE

Taranaki Daily News, 24 March 1919, Page 4

SHIPPING SHORTAGE

THE STOCK MARKETS. The present shipping position is already influencing local stock markets to a considerable degree, and it is almost certain that there will he a steadying of prices till the end of April at least. The cool storage accommodation at the several freezing works is already taxed to its limit or very soon win be, and the buyers for these companies are operating very carefully. Farmers do not desire to "hang en to their fat stock longer than .necessary just now, but if the freezing works cannot take it there remains only the local demands, and they are altogether insufficient to absorb all that is offering. Apparently, therefore, they will have to hold a lot of it as best they can, and this will naturally react on forward and store cattle and sheep. So far as Taranaki is concerned there is not a very great deal of fattening done here. Most .of the dairy farmers sena their store cows to the sale just as they find it convenient to do so. ' Those farmers who do go in for fattening generally send direct to the freezing company, so that the effect on the local stock markets may not be so apparent as in other plappg.—'Hawera Star. The recent embargo on the exportation of hides has had th<: effect of lowering the price of inferior stuff by about. 3 per cent and calfskins .10 per cent. The price for good hides has, however, kepi steady. AX EMBARRASSING POSITION. The Minister in Charje of Imperial Supplies (the Hon. I). H Guthrie) lias hsd no news yet of anv improvement in the shipping supply for New Zealand. He has not yet received any replies to his cabled inquiries. Meanwhile the position continues to become more and more embarrassing- The. works are all full, or almost so, and the task of the managements in allotting such available space as mav be cleared by any means among the clients who fire clamoring to have their fat stock tak.m off their hands is a very trying one indeed