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Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21187, 9 August 1940, Page 7

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AUSTRALIAN PRODUCE ALLOCATION OF SHIPPING REFRIGERATION FACTOR (By Telegraph.—Special to Times) AUCKLAND, Thursday Replying to the council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, stated that Australia received no preference over New Zealand in shipping allocations by the United Kingdom because of loading difficulties in the Dominion. Correspondence was sent by the chamber to Mr Fraser and all other members of the War Cabinet after discussions with the Minister of Marketing, the Hon. W. Nash. Mr Fraser said that, as previously emphasised, the United Kingdom Government had agreed to provide the necessary shipping space in accordance with a per-determined programme. As far as New Zealand was concerned this programme had been adhered to in the past season, with only minor and unavoidable variations. Refrigerated Space The situation had been continuosly discussed by the New Zealand and United Kingdom Governments and the Overseas Shipowners Allotment Committee. Every possible step had been taken to secure sufficient ships and to ensure quick loading from New Zealand ports. In comparison with Australia, New Zealand presented a difficult problem to the United Kingdom authorities, in so far as the proportion of refrigerated space to general space required by New Zealand was far greater than that needed by Australia. The Commonwealth was in the fortunate position of having big general cargoes and much smaller quantities of meat and dairy produce, with the result that the Ministry of Shipping in providing sufficient vessels to carry the general cargo had also been able to supply ample refrigerating space. New Zealand required ships with maximum refrigerating space. Every endeavour had been made to lift New Zealand produce just as quickly as Australian produce was loaded, but the fact remained that the Dominion had heavy concentrations at certain periods of the year, with the result that some storage was inevitable.