MEAT AND SHIPS.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 March 1920, Page 2

MEAT AND SHIPS.

*-= i AN IMPORTANT TELEGRAM, PREFERENCE ' TO DOMINIONS, DURATION OP REQUISITION. An interesting statement regarding the policy of the Imperial Government in respect to the purchase of meat in the Dominion and for the conveyance of cargoes from New Zealand and Australia to England, is contained in a telegram received by the Governor-General from the Secretary' of State for the Colonies. The telegram, a copy of which lias been forwarded to the Prime Minister, is in reply to telegrams dispatched by the Governor-General on behalf of the Government during the present month. The message states in the first place tliat the question of the continuation of the purchase of New Zealand meat ' after June 30th next is still under consideration, and that a. reply will be forwarded as soon as possible. The causes of the delay in the lifting <Tf meat cargoes are then dealt with at length. It is stated that since November, 1919, there has been increasing confMsJon in the ports and cold stores of the United Kingdom, With a resultant delay in the discbarge of ships recently arrived. This state of affairs was caused by unavoidable delays in the return of requisitioned ships to their owners in the early months of 1919, delays in outIward sailings from London about the I same period on account of labor troubles, subsequent delays owing to coaling and labor . difficulties at intermediate ports, and unusual delays in Australian and New Zealand ports. The general effect was a disarrangement of programme, bo that the arrival of large numbers of vessels at United Kingdom ports coincided with the period when the home-grown meat is usually available for sale in abundance. Further, beef is eaten in greater quantity than mutton and lamb In the United Kingdom during winter. From now until the summer supplies of home-grown meat in the United Kingdom will be much less important, and the consumption of mutton and lamb will normally increase.

EXTENDED MARKETING ARRANGEMENTS. Arrangements have been made, states the communication, for larger quantities of Australian and New Zealand mutton and lamb to be placed on the market. A large sale of New Zealand lamb has been made to the United States of America, and endeavors are being made to develop this market. The possibilities of making sales on the Continent of Europe/have not been overlooked, but Continental nations prefer beef to mutton or lamb. Further, the French Government has control of the importatibn of meat into France, and import licenses on private account arc not at present obtainable. The matter is being taken up with the Government of France. It is hoped that the . New Zealand Government will issue a categorical denial to the statement that preference has been shown to shipments from meat from South America during the past year, The diversion of steamers from and New Zealand to South America was a war measure imposed on the Imperial Government by dire necessity. With the cessation of this need the diversion terminated* and steamers returned to the Australian and New Zealand trade as they were released by the Shipping Controller. Every such vessel has now been returned 'to the Australian and New Zealanid trade. Moreover, every opportunity which offered itself for diverting River Plate steamers to Australia and New Zealand lias been taken. Two such steamers, capable of carrying 8000 tons of meat, stre now on outward voyage, and New Zealand will ultimately (benefit from these steamers. EFFORTS TO SECURE SHIPS. "Endeavors have been made," states the, telegram, "to charter American and, Italian insulated steamers for the New Zealand trade, but unfortunately the negotiations have been unsuccessful. Your Ministers should know that His Majesty's Government recently found it advisable to renew contracts in force during the war for the purchase of the exportable surplus of Patagonian mutton and lamb in respect of the killing season, which will end in April, 1920, the amount involved being about 25,000. tons. This purchase was made with the object of protecting, as far as possible, supplies of Australian and New Zealand mutton under control of His Majesty's Government from the competition' of freshlykilled meat exported from foreign sources. Steamers employed in conveying this meat are of limited eapacitv.

and are not suitable for diversion to the Australian or.New Zealand trade." The message adds: "Quite apart from reasons of an Imperial oharacter, His Majesty's Government is most anxious to avoid expenditure for storage in New Zealand and for demurrage on steamers. Consequently it is to their interest, as much as to that of the Government of New Zealand, to put an end to the present congestion, and to ship the New Zealand output of the current season at the earliest possible date."