SHIPMENT OF PRODUCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 August 1920, Page 8

SHIPMENT OF PRODUCE.

WEED FOR FARMERS' SHIPS. CO-OPERATION OF PRODUCERS. The need for the producers owning their own line of ships was touched on at the annual meeting of the Tariki Dairy Company yesterday. The subject was introduced by Mr. A. Kendrick, who considered that the time had arrived when dairy factories should cooperate for the purpose of establishing a shipping company, and in this connection he pointed to the action of the Gisborne producers. ,Mr. Arthur Morton, President of the National Dairy Association, who was invited to speak on the matter, said that it was a question that had come into great prominence during the last few years owing to The congestion of shipping, and also owing to the very great increases In freight that had taken place. The freight on cheese, which before the war was 4d per pound, had increased to lid per pound, whereas butter had increased from 2/0 per box to 5/4, plus 5 per cent, primage, or equal to 5/7. The freight was not fixed for the coming season, but he did not think there would be any increase. In fact, the tendency was for freights to come down, though owing to the comparative scarcity of refrigerated ships, refrigerated freights were not so likely to come, down as freight for general cargo, and there would still bo a high rate of freight on refrigerated cargo. He pointed out that the Gisborne people were wealthy sheep farmers, and had purchased a boat costing over £250,000, and on which they spent about £IOO,OOO in equipping the ship for the meat trade. This vessel would undoubtedly be a good proposition, but | he pointed out that they would not get I the same co-operation among the other sections of the primary producers. Until such time as they could get the Government to compel all exporters to contribute to a fund, which the Government should subsidise, nothing could be done. If it was left to the people to voluntarily find the capital nothing ffould ever be done. ,It was an exceedingly difficult matter to get the farmers as a whole to voluntarily finance any scheme, but if means could be devised where exporters contributed to a fund on the basis of the value of their exports, they would be on the proper track to get something done.

It was necessary that the Government should subsidise the fund, because if the Government had a *say in the management, they would have more power in combatting the operations of the shipping ring, which was much more powerful than was the case a few years ago. Mr. Morton pointed out that at the meeting of the National Dairy Association, a resolution had been carried that endeavors be made to get the meat, dairy and wool industries to link up. The' dairy industry was a very powerful one—the exports this year would probably run to £14,000,000 or £15,000,000—but it would not? be possible to achieve success until they were, able to get the whole of the primary producers to work together. In this connection he pointed out that there were difficulties, as the proprietary rrfeat conI cents did not see eye to eye in the mati fcer with the meat concerns, which were 1 tun as far as possible on co-operative lines. He said that the matter was being kept* in view by the other primary producers. ', To set a shipping company on a sound basis was not a small matter, as it ■ would require .10 ships and a capital of Over £12,000,000, though means might be found to start in a smaller way. He conclndod by stressing the point that it was recognised that co-operation at present stopped with the placing of their produce on board ship, and it was desirable that the producer should retain control until the produce was placed in the hands of the consumer.