UNLOADING PRODUCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 January 1922, Page 5

UNLOADING PRODUCE.

CONGESTION AT BRITISH PORTS.

RETURNING TO NORMAL.

By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Jan. 3.

The unreasonable delay in unloading New Zealand produce at British ports was recently the subject of a strong protest by Mr. Massey to the Secretary of State 'for the Colonies through the Gov-ernor-General. A cablegram, of December 29, from the Colonial Office, states that this matter haa been inquired into now. It. is believed the congestion of shipping reached a crisis in September. The position would be normal early this year. The congestion was entirely due to the abnormal importation of meat, greatly in excess of the cold storage accommodation. During the last ten months the Port of London Authority handled 66 per cent, more meat than in the same period of 1913. The cold storage in London was ample in normal conditions. The Port of London Authority would continue to do everything possible to ease the situation. The delay and waste of storage space was due to the small separate consignments ,of meat arriving. There was no difficulty regarding the storage of butter and cheese, as the greater part was cleared at once. Butter an<l cheese could not be discharged the meat had been placed in cold storage. The question of diverting the shipswas found impracticable in most cases, for the reason that meat was definitely consigned to London and could not at present be sent elsewhere.