DELAYED SHIPS.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 February 1921, Page 5

DELAYED SHIPS.

TIME WASTED IN NEW ZEALAND. EXPORT OF CHEESE HINDERED. Delay in the shipment of cheese is giving the exporters some cause for anxiety. The stores are holding a very large amount of cheese, and the quantity awaiting shipment is increasing rapidly in spite of the promise of the slopping committee to provide space for 100,000 crates per month. No exact forecast of the movements of the London market can be made, but New Zealand’cheese that does not get to Britain until after April will come into competition with the Canadian output, and may have to be sold in a declining market. The quicker the cheese can be shipped, the better for the producers. An important factor in causing delay is the slow movement of the -refrigerated steamers in New Zealand, waters. The time taken to discharge and load the ships, on the average, is substantially longer than to be the case, and every extra day means a charge of several hundred pounds and a loss of transport, since the carrying capacity of the ship per annum is being reduced. Refrigerated ships used to be able to discharge their cargoes at New Zealand ports, load with produce, and get away within five or six weeks of their arrival in these waters. But instances have occurred lately of ships spending from seven to ten weeks in New Zealand waters. Congestion at the ports, slow handling of cargo on the wharves and unnecessary holidays have helped to hold the ateamers.—