DOMINION PRODUCE

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21370, 14 March 1941, Page 2

DOMINION PRODUCE

SHIPPING TO BRITAIN SUGGESTION IN AUCKLAND A suggestion that the shipment of New Zealand produce to Britain might be facilitated by using American vessels to transport it to American ports, from which it could be transhipped and transported across the Atlantic in British vessels was advanced yesterday in Auckland by a dairy farmer when commenting on 1 the shortage of shipping. “Our first consideration should be the delivery of essential foodstuffs to Britain; if by doing so we maintain our industry on an economic footing so much the better,” he commented. With the passing of the Lease-and-Lend Act there would be, he appreciated, steps taken to relieve the strain on direct shipping between America and Britain. If it were not possible to augment the fleet plying between the Dominion and Britain directly, then American refrigerated ships might be brought to New Zealand and loaded with our produce. If it could be carried to, say, Halifax on the Canadian seaboard, and then transferred to British ships, a big step would have been made in relieving the present position. Saving of Time Not only would there be the saving of time taken to cover the 11,000 miles between New Zealand and Britain, but there would be less necessity to send British ships on the alternative runs to the Argentine. By ordinary trade routes the distance from Buenos Aires, the chief Argentine port, to Liverpool, is 6246 miles. The distance by the shortest navigable route from Halifax to Liverpool is 2485 miles. The time-sav-ing and the reduction of risk from enemy attack were factors that favoured this scheme. “ There are probably many difficulties in the path of the scheme and it may be argued that the cost of double handling would be excessive,” the speaker continued. There was also the question whether America had refrigerated ships that could be assigned to the job. Even if only a few were available they would substantially relieve the position. The question of costs should not be a deterrent, nor should the time required to effect transhipment be allowed to ban consideration of the scheme. He felt that the Dominion Government would be prepared to examine all sorts of suggestions, and he propounded the proposal for consideration on its merits.