MEAT EXPORT.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 February 1921, Page 5

MEAT EXPORT.

INCREASE OF FREIGHTS. THE POSITION SET OUT. MR. MASSEY’S STRONG PROTEST. On July 26, 1920, a cablegram was received by the New Zealand Overseas Shipowners’ Committee stating that the Imperial Government would retain control of insulated space until April, 1921, and chat the rates of freight to be charged for the carriage of free meat authorised to be carried in such space would be as follow: Beef l%dperlb. -Mutton and tegs .’.... l%d per lb. Lamb 2d per lb. All plus 10 per cent. Numerous cable communications subsequently passed between the Prime Minister and the High Commissioner, in which the latter was- requested to urge upon the Imperial authorities that the rates mentioned should be reduced, and the following cablegram, dated January 5, 1921, was received from the High Commissioner:—

Am informed by Ministry of Food that revised rates for carriage private meat from New Zealand to the ■United Kingdom have been fixed as follow:—Mutton l%d per lb; lamb, 2d; beef, Ifd, all plus 5 per cent. Rates to be effective forthwith. It is not anticipated that there .will be any necessity to further revise during the period of control. You will observe that new rates show a reduction of 5 per cent on those previously quoted and referred to in your telegram August 4. The Prime Minister later cabled to the High Commissioner as follows, on January 17 last: Referring to your telegram of January 5, shipping companies here have not received advice of reduction in rates of freight on meat. He cabled again on January 31 as follows: With reference to your telegram of January 5 and to my telegram of January I*7, shipping companies’ received instructions from their principals to accept reduction of 5 per cent on rates for carriage private meat. Your telegram of January 5 was made public on receipt, and meat exporters are very dissatisfied. Please inform me as early as possible what is the position. A reply was received from the High Commissioner, dated February 8, 1921, as follows: With reference to your telegram of February 1, meat freights, Ministry of Food states Committee was instructed December 11 to charge equivalent to 14.4 s per 40 cubic feet, plus 5 per cent, and Ministry that rates charged in respect to all shipments of private meat were those referred to in my telegram of January 5. It would appear that Wellington Committee does not agree with calculations made by steam ship companies here as to true equivalent, and Ministry are cabling for particulars poundage rates, which have been actually charged. Will telegraph further as soon as possible. To which the Prime Minister forwarded the following reply on February 11: With reference to your telegram of February 8, meat freights, I communicated to Press for information producers and meat exporters contents of your cablegram of January 5, in which Ministry of Food definitely stated that certain reduced poundage rates would. be effective forthwith, and that it was not anticipated that any later alteration would be found necessary. Stock has been purchased and contracts made on this basis, and it is imperative that shipping companies should be immediately informed by Ministry that rates mentioned are effective from., the commencement of the season.

On February 11 the Overseas Shipowners’ Committee advised freezing companies under instructions from the Imperial Government, through the medium of the London Tonnage Committee, that it had been found, owing to the absence of cut carcases, that the rates of freight at present being charged were not sufficient to reimburse the Imperial Government and that it was necessary to charge the following rates of freight for private meat, beginning with the group of steamers to be allotted for March loading:— Beef 115-16 d. per lb. Mutton and tegs .. '2y B d. P er Lamb 25-16 d. per lb. The above rates were not to apply to c.i.f. sales already effected by freezing companies, which would be carried at the following rates: — Beef l%dperlb. ,iMutton and tegs .... l%dperlb. Lamb 2d P erlb - All plus 10 per cent. On February 12, 1921, the Prime Minister cabled to the High Commissioner as follows: — # With further reference to my telegram of Febru •t-y 11, meat freights, New Zealand Overseas Shipping Committee have advised freezing companies that under instructions from London Tonnage Committee rates of freights are to be charged in and April steamers amounting to: Beef, 6 per cent; jnutton, 8 per cent; lamb, 10 per sent increase on the rates set out in your cablegram of January 5. Imposition of these increased rates instead of reduction advised by you is indefensible. Please make strongest protest to Ministry of Food and request immediate (revision »f these rates and the establishment of rates as advised in your telegram of January 5. Matter is urgent in view of adverse influence of this announced increase upon market values of freezing stock and upon freezing companies’ operations generally. The Prime Minister is now awaiting a reply to the last cablegram and should same be not satisfactory he will immediately carry the matter further.